World Bank: Support to Serbia for maintenance of rail infrastructure

Serbia will step up maintenance of its railway infrastructure with a new USD 65 million support from the World Bank, the bank announced.

– This is the second tranche of the Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) for Serbia Railway Sector Modernization Project, which is helping the country build a safer, more efficient, and climate friendly rail sector. Serbia has invested substantially in the expansion of its rail network in recent years, with estimates at over USD 2.3 billion to date and efforts forecasted to continue for the next five to six years – the World Bank says in its press release.

Regular maintenance is therefore essential for safeguarding these major public investments and to ensuring the quality and safety of these critical transportation services.

– Through this phase of the project, the goal is to enhance the capacity to better maintain the existing railways infrastructure, modernize railway maintenance facilities and improve asset management and planning. This stage of the program also opens up the opportunity for greater involvement of the private sector in intermodal interventions and last-mile connectivity – said Nicola Pontara, World Bank Country Manager for Serbia.

As in Phase 1 of this MPA, this stage of the project is jointly co-financed in equal parts by the World Bank and French Development Agency, reflecting the two institutions’ mutual alignment of key policy priorities in areas such as green transport and regional integration.

Svetska Banka-WB Beograd

World Bank

French Development Agency

Nicola Pontara

support for maintenance of rail infrastructure