As part of London’s plan to build a long-term partnership with the Western Balkans, the UK will include the region into one of its programmes aimed to create partnerships between UK and international entrepreneurs, a government statement said on Monday.

The Global-trade Entrepreneur Programme, GEP, attracts overseas-based, entrepreneur-led companies with innovative technologies by offering expert guidance on our how to scale up and internationalise their operations.

More than 20 entrepreneurs from Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania are currently attending the 2018 Western Balkans Summit in London and will be showcasing what they have to offer the UK market.

While in London, the up and coming businesses will have a chance to meet with their UK counterparts and spot opportunities for collaboration.

The programme has already proved successful in providing guidance to budding entrepreneurs around the world, the statement said. So far it has resulted in 900 entrepreneurs investing in the UK since 2005 – creating more than 5,000 high quality jobs and raising more than £1 billion in venture capital.

Trade Minister Baroness Fairhead said the UK wants to break down barriers to trade and investment and this way stimulate growth in emerging markets.

Including the Western Balkans into the Programme “is a win-win for both the British economy and those of the 6 countries involved,” she said.

“This will create jobs, improve quality of life and bring prosperity to communities both in the UK and around the world,” the Minister said.

Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Europe, Andrew Mitchell, said that deeper trade and investment ties with Western Balkans countries are some of the most exciting emerging opportunities for the UK in Europe.

The UK’s trade in goods and services with the region was at £2.25 billion in 2016, a 71.7% year-on-year rise.