Foreign funding for modernization of public services

Germany and Sweden will provide a total of €7 million to Moldova to help implement the project “Modernization of Local Public Services”, Info-Prim Neo reports. The intentions were confirmed by a Memorandum of understanding which was signed on May 30 between the Moldovan Ministry of Regional Development and Construction and its partners: Sweden, represented by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and the Federal Government of Germany. Regional Development Minister Marcel Raducan stated that the Government of Moldova was committed to ensuring equal opportunities of development for all regions, and asked the development partners for their assistance throughout the implementation of the project: to monitor the process so as to ensure sustainable final outcomes. German Development Minister Dirk Niebel said that the project aimed to reduce poverty by enhancing access to such important services as water supply, sewerage, waste management and others. The German Government granted the Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) the mandate to provide the technical, managerial and logistical assistance necessary for the implementation of the project. Swedish Ambassador to Moldova Ingrid Tersman stated that the provided assistance would have a direct impact on the lives of people, and that the diplomatic mission would cooperate with all the stakeholders to ensure the effective management of the funds. This three-year project aims to consolidate the local authorities' capacity to develop and harmonize decentralization policies and relevant instruments and methodologies. Also, it will help to improve the operational regional plans of the development strategies for the regions North, Center and South in what concerns water supply, sewerage, solid waste management and energy efficiency of public facilities.