Results of Diaspora Excellence Groups programme unveiled in Moldova

Chisinau, 17 April /MOLDPRES/ – The Diaspora relations office (BRD) of State Chancellery (SC), in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) mission in Moldova, organised the final conference of the Diaspora Excellence Groups programme today.

The event presented policy proposals drafted by experts of Diaspora excellence groups (GED) within sectors of economy, medicine, justice, environment and Diaspora relations.

The event was attended by Secretary General of Government, Lilia Palii, Head of BRD, Olga Coptu, state secretaries, representatives of BRD, experts.

Interviewed by agency, Head of BRD, Olga Coptu, said that GED Programme was created with purpose of developing functional mechanism of collaboration between government institutions and highly qualified experts from Diaspora in strategic areas of development of Moldova.

According to the quoted source, there were created five Excellency Groups based on the Programme, led by Diaspora experts. The Diaspora Excellence Groups have worked on public policy proposals or certain projects agreed with representatives of Government of Moldova and have aim to advise governmental institutions in processes of public policy development, implementation and institutional reforms, formulate recommendations and initiatives as to improve public services, contribute by transferring pragmatic and applicative expertise, creativity and innovation to boosting development of public and private sector.

General Secretary of the Government, Lilia Palii, said that partnerships would be established throughout Diaspora Excellence Groups to apply to community programmes to contribute to modernisation of Moldova.

With some exact proposals on it, representatives of Excellence Groups, professor at the Medical Clinic of the University of Washington (USA), Ian Toma, senior legal advisor to OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities (Netherlands), Laurentiu Hadarca, engineer – researcher at National Laboratory Henri Becquerel (France), Dorin Dusciac, and others.

Another dimension of programme was setting of ten Diaspora educational centres.  In this context, director of European Association of European Trainers in Moldova, Lucia Cucu, mentioned that the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research (MECCM) approved a curriculum for Romanian language for Diaspora. Also, a textbook for teaching and learning of the Romanian language for children from Diaspora aged 7 – 12 has been developed as well as a methodological guide that includes the list of additional teaching materials.

The Diaspora Excellence Groups programme is carried out within project: Strengthening development capacities of Moldova by means of creation of partnerships between Diaspora and country of origin funded by Development Fund of IOM and implemented by IOM mission in Moldova in partnership with BRD.

(Reporter N. Roibu, editor A. Raileanu)