Participants of the "Moldova Support Platform" international conference held in Berlin pledged €695.5 million in assistance to Moldova.
This funding package includes direct financial aid to the country's budget, grants and soft loans aimed at reforms and Europeanization of our country. The Berlin event gathered together 47 participants: EU member states, the United States, Canada, Japan, and representatives of financial institutions and international organizations. During the international conference, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu and other members of the government outlined the situation created by the military actions in Ukraine and expressed the most urgent needs of Moldova, which faced an influx of Ukrainian refugees. It was noted that Moldova has opened its borders to almost 400,000 people from Ukraine, and about 100,000 of them are currently in our country. Conference participants said they recognize the pressure the current situation is putting on Moldova and its institutions. As noted, in close cooperation with the Moldovan government, development partners and donors identified five areas in which they will provide assistance in the short, medium and long term. In order to provide immediate assistance to reception centres in Moldova, the participating countries agreed to intensify their efforts to resettle displaced persons on Moldovan territory. It was noted that the war had also exposed problems related to border management. They stressed that both the smuggling of goods, weapons and prohibited substances and human trafficking undermine the rule of law. Conference participants also announced a total of €659.5 million in direct financial support for Moldova, including €108.2 million in direct grant aid and €530 million in credit lines. Separately, the EU Commission and international financial institutions agreed to provide direct financial assistance. Also, donors agreed to support reform priorities identified by Moldova, including in the fields of fighting corruption and strengthening the rule of law. In terms of strengthening Moldova's economic sustainability, cooperation will focus on sustainable development, in order to improve Moldova's international trade opportunities and to use its ability to generate income. Members of the Moldova Support Platform have agreed to support an increase in trade quotas for Moldova within the framework of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area of Moldova and the EU (DCFTA). International partners and donors also pledged to support Moldova in enhancing its energy security, including by diversifying gas supplies and strengthening gas links within Moldova, as well as by improving Moldova's links to the European energy market, building on Moldova's recent connection to ENTSO-E. They also outlined the prospects for a successful energy transition with a sustainable and reliable energy balance in Moldova. In total, the participants also announced support for humanitarian needs as well as reform programs in Moldova worth up to 135.5 million euros. In addition, Moldova also receives a portion of the international community's substantial humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons, both in Ukraine and in the region. The participants agreed to create five working groups, which will continue the work begun in Berlin and will contribute to the preparation of the follow-up conference to be held in Bucharest. The working groups will cover the following areas: (1) the war against Ukraine and the humanitarian situation of refugees from Ukraine; (2) fighting corruption as a priority in Moldova's reform program; (3) energy challenges for Moldova; (4) financial assistance and strengthening Moldova's economic sustainability; (5) efficient border management. // 06.04.2022 – InfoMarket
