Progress made in United Nations - Moldova partnership assessed at joint meeting

Chisinau, 12 October /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Ion Chicu today co-chaired, along with United Nations Resident Coordinator Simon Springett, the fourth meeting of the United Nations – Moldova Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development 2018-2022. Attending the event were the members of the coordination committee of the UN-Moldova Partnership Framework, as well as representatives of the United Nations agencies in Moldova, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.    

The participants in the meeting set the progress made in 2019, in the context of the UN-Moldova Partnership Framework, joint working plans for 2020, as well as the ones which are to be implemented in the context of the United Nations Moldova Covid-19 Response and Recovery Plan.  

In his greeting speech, the PM stressed the importance of the Moldovan government’s cooperation with the UN family in diverse fields, meant to ensure the well-being and observance of human rights, strengthening the education and health system, promotion of a circular economy, environmental protection and edification of an inclusive society.  

„The United Nations Organization is one of the principal development partners of our country. We thank for the valuable and long-lasting assistance provided to Moldova, for the advancement on the way of modernization and implementation of the agenda of domestic reforms assumed by the government,’’ Ion Chicu said.     

UN Resident Coordinator Simon Springett reviewed the most important projects in which progress was recorded in 2019 through the joining of efforts between the UN agencies and Moldova’s competent authorities. Among the priority sectors in this respect, there are: governance, human rights and gender equality; sustainable, inclusive and fair economic growth; sustainability and resistance of the environment; inclusive and equal social development, as well as providing of support through the finishing of Moldova’s First Voluntary National Review on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.    

Representatives of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), International Labour Organization (ILO), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) presented joint working plans on these sectors for 2020 and the budget estimated for implementing the related activities.  

An important subject on the agenda of discussions was the United Nations Moldova Covid-19 Response and Recovery Plan. Simon Springett said that the document contained 99 projects meant to provide immediate support, as well as direct long-term social and economic and recovery response after this pandemic crisis. The Plan’s overall value is of more than 100 million dollars.    
The prime minister thanked for the working out of the plan and expressed the government’s full openness for the efficient cooperation, in order to implement the projects contained in this document. ‘’Due to this Plan, Moldova’s citizens, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged ones, will be able to have access to the basic services and namely the medical services. We remain committed in the cooperation with UN, in order to firmly promote the carrying out of the national priorities in the human rights sector, development and improvement of the living conditions of all Moldovan citizens,’’ the official said. PM Chicu expressed gratitude also for the financial contribution of the Swedish and Swiss agencies for the implementation of projects in Moldova.   

Simon Springett said that this Partnership Framework was a strategic one. The UN resident coordinator reiterated the organization’s interest in further developing the fruitful cooperation with Moldova and thanked the government for the efficient cooperation on more dimensions.

Photo source: Government