Switzerland to back development of sustainable economy in Moldova

Chisinau, 16 February /MOLDPRES/ - Given that a new strategy of Moldovan-Swiss cooperation for 2018-2021 is to be worked out this year, we deem as opportune the proposal to include the development of sustainable economy as priority sector for assistance, due to be provided to Moldova by the Swiss Cooperation Office (SCO). The SCO cooperation director, Simone Giger, made statements to this effect at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Octavian Calmic.      

According to the Economics Ministry’s press service, in the context of developing the bilateral relations, Simone Giger proposed that the Swiss assistance be focused on the creation of new jobs, by introducing new stimuli for economic agents, backing small- and medium-sized enterprises from Moldova, in order to enter new sales markets, developing the entrepreneurial infrastructure in all the country’s regions, establishing a new national mechanism of promoting social inclusion and poverty reduction, etc.   

Also, the Swiss official noted that, in order to take over the best practices of EU, SCO was willing to provide assistance to strengthen the institutional capacities of the Consumers’ Protection Agency, as well as of the MOLDAC National Accreditation Centre, including by the development and implementation of the integrated Information System for the accreditation process. “The intervention fields will be discussed at a domestic workshop on planning, due to be held in late next March, as well as with development partners, in order to fully use the provisions of the new strategy,” the SCO head said.   

Simone Giger informed the economics minister that over 12 million euros had been disbursed in 2016, to implement projects underway and managed by SCO.    

Deputy Prime Minister Octavian Calmic appreciated the efforts of the Swiss Cooperation Office in carrying out diverse development projects of Switzerland in Moldova. Calmic stressed that these projects contributed to achieving strategic goals of the national authorities in the process of Moldova’s reformation and modernization. In the context, the economics minister backed the SCO initiatives on settling priorities for assistance provided by Switzerland, especially on the development of the infrastructure in the rural sector, development of small and medium-sized enterprises, etc.    

The Swiss Cooperation Office in Moldova was opened in 2000 and has a status of diplomatic mission and representation of the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation in Kiev.   

(Reporter A. Mardare, editor M. Jantovan)