The intensification of economic diplomacy for realizing its potential to promote products made in Moldova, to increase the number of tourists and to attract investments for creating jobs at home will be a priority of the Moldovan diplomatic service in 2022. “During these five months, we showed that we are a diplomatic service of deeds. Consequently, during the new year we aim to achieve together three essential points on our diplomatic map: continuous Europeans integration at an accelerated speed, maintaining of international peace around the Republic of Moldova, which will enable to do the ambitious reforms asked by the people, and strengthening of our friendly relations and partnerships in the world,” Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu, Minister of Foreign Affair and European Integration stated when summing up the results of 2021, being quoted by IPN.
Among the foreign policy accomplishments in 2021, Nicu Popescu mentioned the breaking of international isolation. The official met with and established direct contacts with counterparts from 17 EU member states, namely Romania, France, Poland, Greece, Austria, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Cyprus, Denmark, Portugal, and Hungary. “Each of those meetings enabled to promote the Republic of Moldova’s interests at political, economic and security levels,” said Nicu Popescu. Together with the partners, they are building diplomatic, institutional and cultural bridges and also energy, road, railway bridges and electricity connections, and are ensuring coordination and assistance in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The official said the European development is another accomplishment. This year, together with the government team, they managed to unlock the foreign financial assistance for Moldova and this will be used to improve living standards. He spoke about the financial assistance received and promised by the European partners for local communities, roads, hospitals, schools, etc.
Nicu Popescu noted Moldova’s road to the EU was strengthened by coming closer to Romania, by signing the roadmap for the priority cooperation areas and by strengthening the common history, culture and language through infrastructure projects designed to ensure connection with the European area.
The dialogue with the Associated Trio states (Georgia and Ukraine) is another accomplishment. At bilateral level, the dialogue with the U.S., Russia, Turkey, Norway, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates and Kirgizstan was strengthened and the dialogue opportunities with high-ranking officials of regional and international organizations, such as the Council of Europe, NATO, UN, OSCE, GUAM and BSEC, were put to good use.
Attention was also devoted to the diaspora. “I will plead for modernizing and digitizing consular services. This will be the key task for the new year, alongside the extension of the number of consular posts at embassies and consular offices so as to increaser the quality and speed of services provided in places where the number of consular applications is high,” stated Nicu Popescu.
