Swedish MPs visited Ungheni for better cooperation and understanding of local development priorities

A group of six members of the Swedish Parliament, mostly members of the Foreign Affairs Committee are in the Republic of Moldova on May 26-28. The visit is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Sweden and aims to contribute to better cooperation and on-site understanding of the development priorities of our country.

On the first day of the visit, the MPs went to Ungheni, a city where UNDP and its partners - the European Union, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan - have supported the revitalization of the city center, modernization of local public services, and business development. They met with mayor Vitalie Vrabie and Ungheni district's head Dionisie Ternovschi.

After a walking tour through Ungheni, where they saw the National Street and Independence Square, modernized with the support of the EU and UNDP, they visited the Assistance and Protection Center for Women Survivors of Domestic Violence. The center was opened and operationalized with support from UNDP and Japan, providing accommodation and counseling for survivors of gender-based violence in the region. The MPs were also informed about the activity of mobile teams that travel to localities to offer individual and group consultations to women from vulnerable environments regarding gender-based violence.

The next stop was at Ungheni Free Economic Zone, where the delegation was welcomed by administrator Natalia Iepuraș. She spoke about the development directions and attractive opportunities available to the zone's residents.


“Among them is the Furniture Cluster, which brings together 18 furniture producers, local authorities, and educational and research institutions in the region. By uniting their efforts, the cluster members achieved a 14% revenue increase, created 17 jobs, and saved 10% of resources. Besides economic indicators, creativity also increased, as they collectively conceptualized 14 pieces of modern furniture,” explains UNDP.


Since 2019, UNDP Moldova and its partners - the European Union, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom - have supported the formation and development of 17 clusters, including the furniture cluster in Ungheni.

Sweden is among the largest contributors to the UNDP Moldova budget, investing in projects supporting female entrepreneurship, climate resilience, free and fair elections, promoting human rights, and access to justice. Sweden and UNDP Moldova have been cooperating for over two decades, sharing the same values and vision for a sustainable and prosperous future.