Fifteen localities to participate at stage two of project Migration and local development in Moldova

Chisinau, 26 July /MOLDPRES/ – Fifteen more Moldovan localities will learn to cooperate with natives in their second round of project Migration and Local Development (MiDL), implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with the financial support of the Swiss Agency For Development and Cooperation. The list of beneficiary localities was approved on 25 July following a contest where 35 mayors participated.

"We shall continue to use innovative tools to involve migrants, expand local volunteer schemes to bring quality services closer to people and strengthen local government," said Stefan Liller, deputy permanent representative of UNDP Moldova.

At his part, Valentin Guznac, Deputy Secretary General of the State Chancellery of Moldova, said that the MiDL project has already demonstrated a fruitful collaboration between migrants and local authorities. "The first phase of the project was a very productive one for the 25 partner localities, in particular, and for the country in general. We have proposed that this experience be extended to all districts, to bring home the value of people going abroad," said Guznac.

The first phase of Migration and Local Development Project, attended by 25 villages and towns, was implemented in 2015-2017 in partnership with the Moldovan Government, local public authorities, non-governmental organizations, private sector, population and migrants from the target communities. The second stage is to be completed by the end of 2018, with a budget of $1.4 million.

Subsequently, 25 localities collaborating with the project in the first stage will advance and strengthen relations with migrants, and the 15 newly-selected localities will begin by establishing a sustainable partnership between local government and migrants.

(Reporer L. Grubi, editor L. Alcaza)