United Kingdom supports development of export on both banks of Dniester

Chisinau, 16 June /MOLDPRES/ - The United Kingdom will invest 1 million 320,000 dollars for the improvement of the business environment, creation of long-term commercial relations between the two banks of Dniester and enhancing the their competitiveness to stimulate and promote exports. The financial assistance will be turned to account till late 2023 within a project, Development of Export Capacities on the Banks of Dniester (AdTrade), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with Sweden’s financial support.    

A memorandum on cooperation, which sees the United Kingdom’s participation in the AdTrade project with additional financial assistance, was signed by representatives of UNDP, Embassy of Sweden and the one of the UK in Chisinau today.

„The free, dynamic and transparent trade is a true promoter of the economic development. It creates means for living, generates jobs, ensures prosperity. This project encourages the cooperation between actors of the private sector from the two banks of Dniester river and provides help to increase the commerce in Europe – including the United Kingdom. The exports to Europe from Moldova – including the country’s Transnistrian region – grow constantly – both in absolute terms, as well as like share of the overall volume of exports from the country,’’ Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Moldova Steven Fisher said.   

So far, over 600 companies from both banks of Dniester have benefited from assistance of the project AdTrade, provided with the financial support of Sweden. Twenty six exporting companies out of them have improved their competitiveness through adoption of innovative technologies and enhancing capacities for extending transactions abroad.   

”In the last two years, a large number of companies have benefited from assistance within the project, in order to reach new foreign markets and find new partners. New companies were initiated and backed, taking into account the participation of women, young people and migrants who returned. Based on the support provided, jobs were created and maintained, which is a valuable support in the context of the pandemic. Of course, there are more initiatives to be implemented in the next years for backing the business environment from both banks of the Dniester river and promotion of exports in the new format of financial assistance provided by Sweden and the United Kingdom, under the aegis of the UNDP AdTrade project,’’ Ambassador of Sweden to Moldova Anna Lyberg said.    

„We open a new chapter in this tripartite cooperation. We are aware about the impact of the pandemic and we deem this crisis as an opportunity for positive changes, reforms and development in continuation, in order to become better and stronger. The emerging opportunities are around us, from digitalization and modernization of companies to new involvements in outlining of new competences and the modern education system, greening of the economy, implementation of good governance elements, as well as the involvement of citizens and business communities in the edification of a better future,’’ UNDP Resident Representative in Moldova Dima Al-Khatib said.    

The financial assistance provided by Sweden and the United Kingdom within the UNDP project, Development of Export Capacities on the Banks of Dniester (AdTrade), will contribute, till late 2023, to the creation of more jobs, especially for women and people from socially vulnerable groups, which will lead to improving the living conditions of the residents on both banks of Dniester.