Moldovan president ends working visit to Paris

The Presidency of the Republic of Moldova

President Maia Sandu concluded her working visit to France, held on March 10-11, 2025, at an invitation by President Emmanuel Macron. This visit strengthened the political and economic relations between the two countries and opened new opportunities for cooperation.

In discussions with President Macron, the focus was on regional security, restoring peace in Europe and France's support for modernizing Moldova and its European integration. President Macron reaffirmed France's commitment to supporting projects which directly improve the lives of Moldovan citizens.

During the meeting, Moldova and France signed three documents that will bring tangible results for the citizens: an agreement on social protection guaranteeing the rights of Moldovans in France; a 30-million-euros-worth financing agreement for improving the energy efficiency of public buildings in Moldova; and a letter of intent regarding cooperation in combating disinformation.

President Maia Sandu also met with the presidents of the two chambers of the French Parliament - Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the National Assembly, and Gérard Larcher, President of the Senate. Together with the Moldovan-French friendship groups, the officials discussed France's consistent support for Moldova's European trajectory, expressed by representatives across the political spectrum. In Paris, President Maia Sandu also had a meeting with the mayor of the French capital, Anne Hidalgo, with whom she discussed the potential for cooperation.

At the Moldovan-French business forum, organized on the occasion of the visit, the head of state conveyed a message to French investors: “Moldova is open for business. I invite you to be part of our success. We are no longer just a small country on the edge of Europe. Moldova is an EU candidate country, aligning with European standards, reforming its economy and providing advantages to those who invest first.”

Investments in the Moldovan economy represented the main topic of meetings with Rémy Rioux, Director General of the French Development Agency (AFD), Françoise Lombard, Executive Director of Proparco, and Jérémie Pellet, Executive Director of Expertise France, the three institutions which are part of the AFD Group. AFD Group supports key projects for Moldova, including in the fields of energy, reforestation and financing and small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Another item on the agenda was a meeting with Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, to discuss cooperation in culture and education, as well as measures for protecting the Gagauz language and culture. The Gagauz language is included on UNESCO's list of endangered languages and the Moldovan authorities are boosting efforts to ensure its survival.

President Maia Sandu's visit to Paris reconfirmed the mutual commitment to strengthening the Moldovan-French partnership. In the context, as a token of appreciation for the constant support provided to Moldova in the field of security and European integration, the head of state signed decrees, thereby awarding the Order of Honor of the Republic of Moldova to Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces and Laurence Boone, Minister for Europe in 2022-2024.