EU launches technical assistance project for rural areas in Moldova

A new European Union-funded technical assistance project called “Economic Stimulation in Rural Areas” (ESRA) has been launched within the framework of the Sector Budget Support Program, Info-Prim Neo reports. ESRA aims to contribute to a more balanced economic development in the Republic of Moldova with special focus on rural areas through more efficient economic policies at country and sector levels, better coordination mechanisms and more transparent and efficient financing mechanisms. Economy Minister Valeriu Lazar noted that the final beneficiaries of the project would not be the institutions that would improve their rural development policies but rather the communities, the people, and the small and mid-sized enterprises, which play an important role in the prosperity of communities. “The Government's vision is to ensure a balanced economic growth across the country. It is very important to provide the same opportunities to people everywhere in Moldova”, stated Lazar. EU Delegation Head Dirk Schuebel stressed the need for incorporating economic stimulation in Moldova's rural development policy, providing examples of how this was done in the EU. “I am confident that these programs of rural economic stimulation implemented concertedly by the Moldovan Government and the EU will have a positive impact on the working and living conditions of the people who live in Moldova's rural areas, in particular in stimulating the creation of new businesses and new jobs and in providing optimized access to services, thus helping to reduce migration from rural to urban areas and abroad”, he stated. Fhilip Santens, the project team leader, said ESRA would be implemented by CFA Consulting Group (Germany) and Oxford Policy Management (UK). The project has a budget of €2.5 million and a duration of 24 months, until late December 2013.