Sustainable Development Fund of Moldova holds first meeting

Chisinau, 8 April /MOLDPRES/-The first meeting of the Supervisory Board of the Sustainable Development Fund of Moldova (FDD Moldova) was held at the government today. FDD Moldova is a new public institution, direct successor of the Millennium Challenge Account Moldova, which implemented the 262-million-dollar worth “Compact” programme through the American Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) with the U.S. government support in 2010-2015, the government’s communication and press relations department has reported.

The implementation of projects within the “Compact” programme in Moldova resulted in 96 kilometers of restored road, which are now in the benefit of 300 thousand Moldovan citizens. The programme has also helped rehabilitate ten irrigation systems, which facilitated the irrigation of more than 13,500 hectares in drought areas. Besides, MCC Moldova also carried out projects to develop modern agriculture and facilitate access to funds.

Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau Julie Stufft, also a member of FDD Moldova Supervisory Board, with an observer status, said “Compact” Moldova had been acknowledged by the MCC as one of the most successful of its other 25 similar programmes, implemented all over the world. Therefore, taking into account its goal to ensure the sustainability of investments within the “Compact” programme, the U.S. Corporation decided to create the Sustainable Development Fund Moldova.

The chairman of the Supervisory Board of FDD Moldova, Government Secretary-General Tudor Corpaci thanked USA and the U.S. government for backing Moldova’s modernization. He voiced conviction that this collaboration would be further constructive and efficient, while its results will lay the foundation for a potential new programme in Moldova- “Compact”-2.

The executive director of FDD Moldova, Valentina Badrajan, informed the members of the Supervisory Board of the fund’s goals for 2016-2017. She noted that FDD Moldova intended to carry out a string of activities to promote an efficient model and public capacity of implementing sustainable economic development programmes financed by donors, enlarge the irrigation infrastructure, ensure the sustainability of water resources and also continue to facilitate entrepreneurs’ access to funds.

The officials examined and approved a string of organizational matters during the meeting, including the acquisition plan for the next six months and other aspects of FDD Moldova’s activity.

FDD Moldova Supervisory Board is chaired by Government Secretary-General Tudor Corpaci. The U.S. government is represented by Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau Julie Stufft.

Members of the Supervisory Board are also authorities from the Finance Ministry, Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry, as well as representatives of the Ecological Movement of Moldova, Moldovan Bankers' League and the American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova.

(Editor L. Alcaza)