The European Union, together with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Moldova, kicked off the new Mayors for Economic Growth Facility (M4EG) in Moldova. The M4EG Facility will aim at boosting equitable and green development in the Eastern Partnership region, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, IPN reports, quoting a press release of UNDP Moldova.

While building on the successes and learning of the previous phase from 2017 to 2020, the new Mayors Facility seeks to introduce new innovative tools and practices to address current and future challenges of municipalities in the Eastern Partnership countries.

Jānis Mažeiks, European Union Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, said the EU places great importance on regional economic development. A strong economy is the foundation for a well-managed municipality. With EU support, the Mayors for Economic Growth Facility will focus on sustainable economic growth that creates more jobs and better incomes and contributes to improved living standards. The first phase of the programmed involved more than 45 localities and resulted in the creation of a business incubator and several information centers, assisting overall 3000 beneficiaries. The second phase of the facility will provide funding opportunities for local authorities, to create their own “tailor-made” solutions and implement them in their localities, for the benefit of the citizens.

Dima Al-Khatib, UNDP Resident Representative to the Republic of Moldova, said they are particularly pleased that Moldova is part of this new regional action and reaffirmed UNDP Moldova’s commitment towards promoting innovative approaches for sustainable development of cities and communities.

The Mayors for Economic Growth (M4EG) Facility is part of the M4EG initiative, launched and funded by the European Union since 2017. The M4EG Facility is run by UNDP, starting from 2021, in close cooperation with the EU, the local authorities, and a range of other partners.