Belgrade welcomed the first location di Cassa Depositi e Prestiti outside the European Union, dedicated to the Western Balkans area, marking the beginning of a broader strategy to strengthen support for sustainable growth initiatives of businesses in emerging economies. After the office inaugurated in the Serbian capital, two new representative offices are planned in Africa, precisely in Cairo and Rabat.
Cdp: 50 million agreements to support Serbian SME growth
Two financing agreements were signed in favor of Bank Intesa Beograd (10 million) e Unicredit Bank Serbia (40 million), for a total value of 50 million euro. These agreements will allow the activation of resources equal to at least 100 million euros, intended for the growth of approximately 250 local SMEs. The resources, granted as part of the Western Balkans Investment Framework promoted by the European Union, will allow the two main Italian banks operating in the country to provide financing at favorable rates to local companies operating in sectors with a high ESG impact.
Comments
“With the inauguration of the Belgrade office – commented the CEO Dario Scannapieco – the international role of CDP is further strengthened and will continue with a plan of new non-EU offices which also aims to involve the African continent with new offices in Cairo and Rabat. We want to operate more and more effectively as a transmission belt for European resources in Italy and in the economies in which we are called upon to carry out our role as a Financial Institution for Development Cooperation: the financing agreements with Banca Intesa Beograd and UniCredit Bank Serbia, thanks to the which we will support at least 250 SMEs in the area, are confirmation of the concreteness of our commitment in this direction".
“The opening of the CDP office in Belgrade follows that of Simest and Sace. This completes the project to strengthen the Italian system in Serbia launched by Minister Tajani in March 2023 on the occasion of the Business and Science Forum. Belgrade becomes the first location outside the EU in which the Italian system can count on such a broad spectrum of institutional actors", declared the ambassador Luca Gori.
