WBIF and EBRD support Serbia to expand broadband to rural areas
WBIF and EBRD support Serbia to expand broadband to rural areas
Over 90,000 households and 600 schools and public institutions in rural areas in Serbia will gain access to fast broadband thanks to a government digitalisation project supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and bilateral donors under the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
An €18 million EBRD loan and a €1.7 million WBIF bilateral donors’ grant will allow Serbia to finance the design and construction of fibre broadband infrastructure in rural regions of the country. The project is part of Serbia’s initiative to promote digitalisation as a driver of economic growth and to position the country as an IT development hub. It has been also identified as one of the flagship projects in the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans.
The WBIF is a joint initiative of the EU, financial institutions, bilateral donors and governments of the Western Balkans, focused on strategic investments in energy, environment, social, transport and digital infrastructure sectors
Photo Credit: EU Delegation Serbia
