Sustainable Growth Rooted in Euro-Atlantic Integration
Future Technology Activity (FTA)
Implementer: Chemonics International, Inc.
Project Period: 06/2021-06/2026
Projected Budget: $52.82 million
USAID Moldova’s Future Technologies Activity (FTA) aims to enhance competitiveness and expand global market integration of transformative economic sectors in Moldova – information and communication technology, engineering, light manufacturing, creative industries, and digital media. This project is supported by both Sweden and the U.K. FTA will help to build a digitally-skilled, future-ready, and adaptive workforce, strengthening the link between education and the private sector. FTA will drive firm-level adoption of productivity-enhancing future technologies and deployment of innovations underpinning Moldova’s digital economy, harnessing creativity, know-how, and technology for sustainable growth. FTA will help firms transition towards circular and sustainable business models, and application of green practices and technologies, to build a resilient economy and society in Moldova.
Moldova Institutional and Structural Reforms Activity (MISRA)
Implementer: Nathan Associates, Inc.
Project Period: 04/29/2022 - 04/28/2027
Projected Budget: $35 million
The Moldova Institutional and Structural Reforms Activity (MISRA) will build on prior and on-going USAID and USG activities in the business enabling environment and trade facilitation space to strengthen Moldova’s economic growth and resilience, and by doing so, reduce vulnerable areas for corruption. In specific MISRA will stimulate a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the regional crisis, improve the institutional, business, and trade enabling environment, create conditions for the adoption of structural and investment climate reforms, accelerate financial sector reforms, improve economic governance in the public sector, and enhance strategic communications between the private and public actors.
Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Activity (RCRA)
Implementer: Chemonics International, Inc.
Project Period: 09/2022-09/2027
Projected Budget: $49.7 million
The goal of the RCRA is to accelerate the transformative, climate-resilient economic development of rural Moldova by further stimulating the competitiveness of key economic sectors including the wine industry, high value agriculture, and tourism. Accelerating integration with EU markets will further reduce the dependency of the Moldovan agricultural sector on highly volatile traditional markets and instill an European culture of entrepreneurship and transparency among Moldovan agribusinesses. These sectors will act as drivers for sustainable economic growth. This five-year flagship activity will further solidify Moldova as a reliable EU/Western trading partner, and will help position Moldova as a competitive regional hub for sustainable, value-added products and services across the assisted sectors. Further developing these sectors will support inclusive economic growth in rural Moldova.
Development Finance Corporation (DFC)
Implementer: Prime Capital and Moldova Agroindbank (MAIB)
Project Period: 01/2019-09/2029
Projected Budget: $29.11 million
The Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has four active loan support agreements in Moldova, which aim to stimulate over $29 million in lending. Loan portfolio guarantees issued by DFC enable Moldovan financial institutions to increase financing for local Micro-, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). These guarantee agreements support lending for MSMEs in areas such as energy, ICT, and COVID-19 rapid-recovery target areas. The agreements also allow MSMEs and individuals to improve their energy efficiency, affecting cost savings and benefitting energy use in Moldova. The funds supported loans to build Moldova’s first IT park to serve as a hub for IT companies, technology entrepreneurs, and startup companies. They are also intended to provide credit to MSMEs affected by the COVID 19-related economic crisis in Moldova.
Financial Sector Transparency Activity (FSTA)
Implementer: International Development Group (IDG)
Project Period: 09/2019-11/2024
The Moldova Financial Sector Transparency Activity (FSTA) supports Moldova’s economic growth through improving financial sector transparency, stability, and soundness by further strengthening the capacity of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM), the Moldova Central Securities Depository (CSD), and the Moldova National Commission for Financial Markets (NCFM) to combat financial crimes, automate the monitoring of shareholder transparency, and fight systemic money laundering in the banking sector, and by enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the securities settlement and registry infrastructure in Moldova. Greater transparency and reform in the banking and financial sectors will result in increased public trust in supervisory institutions and greater capacity to expose money laundering and fight corruption.
Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR)
Implementer: DAI Global LLC.
Project Period: 10/2021 - 10/2026
The Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) program aims to help Moldova raise the quality of its cybersecurity so that critical infrastructure is resilient and can continue to provide citizens with essential services. Implementation priorities include: 1) Support and facilitate the continuity of the Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Working Group, 2) Assessment of and support for critical infrastructure operators, 3) Conceptualize and establish a public-private sector mechanism to facilitate cross-sectoral sharing of cybersecurity talent, 4) Support implementation of the new cybersecurity law, 5) Increase Government of Moldova cybersecurity resilience by providing trainings and assessments, and 6) Support to the Cybersecurity Academy.
Supporting Entrepreneurship Education in Europe and Eurasia (Georgia, Serbia, Moldova, and Macedonia)
Implementer: Junior Achievement Moldova
Project Period: 01/2017-01/2026
Projected Budget: $1.4 million
The aim of this program is to reduce poverty and youth unemployment in the region by building young people’s soft skills and stimulating more entrepreneurial activity, and to equip Moldovan rural youth with practical entrepreneurial and work readiness competences thereby increasing youth professional opportunities at home and ultimately curbing the escalating youth out migration phenomenon. There is a proven connection between entrepreneurship education initiatives in secondary schools and higher education, and more start-ups and job creation later on among Junior Achievement alumni. By the end of the program in Moldova, over 27,000 students will have attended the School Company Program, at least 775 new teachers will be prepared to teach this program, and 3500 students will obtain International Entrepreneurial Skills Pass (ESP) certification. The program will build partnerships with local and national authorities, NGOs, community groups, and private sector businesses. The project will train the teachers to improve the quality of entrepreneurial curricula delivery and will revise the curriculum for primary, gymnasium and high school level, including the digitization of at least 6 programs, from 15. It will expand student access to multiple experiences (like Innovation Camps, Economy Olympiads, Summer Camps, National Fairs of School Companies, Entrepreneurship Day etc.) and mentoring from the business community. JA will further consolidate the Regional Centers of Excellence in Entrepreneurial Education created in Chisinau, Drochia, Leova, Edineţ, Căușeni, Hincesti/Cărpineni. Every year, teachers will receive training and methodological support throughout the year for the optional discipline of economic and entrepreneurial education.
STRENGTHENED ENERGY SECURITY
Moldova Energy Security Activity (MESA)
Implementer: Tetra Tech ES, Inc.
Project Period: 03/04/2022 - 09/30/2026
Projected Budget: $144.78 million
The USAID Moldova Energy Security Activity (MESA) will support the Government of Moldova's efforts to strengthen and diversify the country’s energy sector, building long-term energy security that supports Moldova’s sovereignty and economic growth. MESA will be implemented in strong cooperation and coordination with the Moldovan Government, private sector and other energy actors aiming at: (1) improving the physical and market integration of Moldova’s energy system with Europe, 2) increasing renewable energy integration and enhancing climate change resilience, and 3) attracting investment in domestic power generation and energy efficiency.
Enhancing Stability and Technical Expertise in European and Eurasian Energy Markets (ESTEEM)/Moldova
Implementer: National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)
Project Period: 05/01/2024--5/01/2026
Projected Budget: $1,500,000
The ESTEEM activity provides technical assistance throughout the Europe and Eurasia (E&E) region to increase regional cooperation and energy security by providing support to energy regulators. ESTEEM/Moldova activity will support Moldova’s National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) in improving the regulatory framework and the capacity of ANRE with the ongoing challenges related to electricity and gas market development, integration, and monitoring processes, as well as electricity market coupling with Romania.