Moldova's Diaspora from Emirates welcomes Moldovan government's decision to open embassy in United Arab Emirates

Chisinau, 10 May /MOLDPRES/ - Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Tudor Ulianovschi has had the first official meeting of a minister from Moldova with representatives of the Moldovan Diaspora from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The sides discussed government’s policies in various sectors, measures to back Moldovan fellow countrymen from abroad, as well as problems faced by them and solutions to overcome the problems, the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s press service has reported.

The Moldovan diplomacy head stressed that the support of the fellow countrymen from the Diaspora on all dimensions was one of the basic goals in the work of both the government and the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry. In the context, Minister Ulianovschi referred to programmes on backing Diaspora citizens through different programmes, including PARE 1+1, as well as future medium- and long-term plans of the authorities. “The establishment of a constant and efficient dialogue with our fellow countrymen from the Diaspora, through diplomatic missions, is one of the basic tasks of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the institution’s staff takes all efforts to fulfill it. Moreover, we expect a more efficient cooperation with the Diaspora, proposals to improve the work of the missions, services provided, as well as the introduction of new services you need,” the foreign affairs minister said.        

Touching upon the cooperation with the Diaspora from UAE, Tudor Ulianovschi noted that the opening of the diplomatic mission in this country, discussions on the abolition of the visa regime for Moldova’s citizens, as well as considering the possibility to open a General Consulate in Dubai are just the first concrete steps, undertaken by the authorities to settle the problems faced by the local Diaspora. As for Moldova’s interest to have a better presence with native products and services in the concerned region, Tudor Ulianovschi said that the fellow countrymen settled in UAE can become promoters of the national interest, especially proceeding from the fact that many of them hold important positions in various marketing companies, commerce, providing of services, tourism, real estate, etc.  

For their part, the representatives of those over 1,000 citizens of Moldova settled in the Emirates welcomed the government’s decision to open an Embassy in UAE, as well the initiative by Minister Ulianovschi on the first ever organization of an open dialogue with representatives of the central authorities and the Diaspora. Moreover, some participants hailed the opening of the Embassy from the viewpoint of organizing polls – the opening of a polling station under the diplomatic mission will exempt them from spending for travelling on the election day to other states, such as Qatar, Turkey, etc.     

During the discussions, Diaspora members tackled a string of problems they face, including the processing of identity papers, getting visas, insufficiency of direct air flights between the two states, etc. Some of those present, including business people married with women citizens of Moldova, showed interest in possibility to start business in Moldova, conditions created by the authorities for foreign investors, as well as programmes on backing foreign companies coming with investment projects in Moldova.