The U.S. government has invested USD 810 million in Serbia in the previous ten years, USD 663 million of which were invested via the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy to Serbia Lee Litzenberger stated Wednesday.

At the ceremony marking the USAID's jubilee, the 10th anniversary of operating in Serbia and 50th anniversary of providing assistance across the world, Litzenberger pointed out that USAID has worked on stimulating investments, creating new jobs and increasing export.

USAID has also helped the media and non-governmental organizations so that the Serbian citizens would enjoy the benefits of a democratic society, he added.

Litzenberger recalled that USAID was established on November 3, 1961 by U.S. president John Kennedy, and that USAID mission in Serbia began operating in 2001.

The celebration was also attended by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Regional Development Verica Kalanovic, who stressed that USAID and the Serbian government incorporated a quality and long-term partnership into their relationship.

She said that USAID has been providing a timely and efficient support to Serbia in the moments when the country needed it the most, adding that it encompassed various fields, including economy, tourism, agriculture, judiciary, movie and information industry.

Kalanovic pointed out that a new type of cooperation has been established with both central and local levels of authority.

She underlined that USAID will in the future focus on two areas, namely further democratization of society, and economic reforms.

USAID Director in Serbia Susan Fritz pointed out that today's celebration is more than a marking of a jubilee, as it celebrates the success of USAID's partnerhip with the Serbian government, NGOs, companies and citizens.

The reception at the Youth Center in Belgrade was attended by numerous representatives of the government, diplomatic corps, institutions, media, including Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic and his deputy Bruno Vekaric, Director of the EU Integration Office Milica Delevic and President of the Foreign Policy Council at the Serbian Foreign Ministry and Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence Sonja Liht.