Serbia: agriculture, defense cooperation with UAE

Minister of Finance and Economy Mladjan Dinkic said Monday that Serbia had signed a memorandum of understanding and an agreement on defense industry cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Serbia could benefit greatly from this cooperation, Dinkic said. Dinkic and First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic visited Abu Dhabi last week and signed a memorandum of understanding in the areas of agriculture, agro-industry and construction of irrigation systems. Dinkic said the offer to investors from the United Arab Emirates included the option to become co-owners of state agricultural companies which had undergone unsuccessful privatizations. In addition, the Emirates would get a 67 percent share in ten farms which are currently operating at a loss, where they would triple the output per hectare, explained Dinkic. The finance minister said partners from the Emirates were also interested in entering the Serbian banking system.