Foreign Investors Association (FIA) organized an international conference “Foreign Investors for Moldova’s Sustainable Development”. Members of the Association discussed sustainable development strategies and results in the Republic of Moldova. Foreign investors presented their proposals for the National Development Strategy “European Moldova 2030” and mentioned the need to foster the partnership between the business, the Government, and the entire society, interested in Moldova’s sustainable development.
Foreign investors, brought together by FIA, initially built their businesses in Moldova based on their own sustainable development strategies. Due to accountability in doing business and innovations, they became market leaders and created real communities around them, fostering sustainable development at local, regional, and national level.
“Many of us, foreign investors, have been growing our business in Moldova for more than 20 years”, Alexander Koss, FIA president, Speaker of the Steering Committee of Südzucker Moldova, noted. – Statistics show a much higher efficiency of systemic foreign investments in Moldova, compared to any other investment. Companies with foreign investments have the biggest contributions to the state budget. However, the fact that foreign investments come with well-defined corporate values and an international approach to sustainable development, providing not only long-term revenues to their shareholders, but also assuring the sustainable development of the communities around them is probably equally important. We are fully compliant with the legislation; we ensure financial transparency and implement non-financial reporting in line with the ESG principles. For decades we have been building a sustainable European future of the Republic of Moldova together with our teams, trade unions, contractors, and partners, as well as public organizations and local communities.
It is certain that the President, the Government, and the Parliament play a crucial role in Moldova’s sustainable development. However, if the experience and opinion of foreign investors is not considered, the current national strategy “European Moldova 2030”, as well as many other documents approved before, may remain only on paper. Foreign assistance is extremely necessary, but it is not indefinite. Eventually, Moldova would have to rely on itself. A continuous and true exchange between the authorities and the businesses is necessary to develop and implement an efficient sustainable development strategy for the country. We, FIA, are open for such an exchange and are looking forward to a similar openness from the authorities.”
Given the essential role of foreign investments for Moldova’s sustainable development, Foreign Investors Association had regularly organized a dialogue with the Government since the beginning of its activities in 2003 and had been issuing FIA White Book with proposals for improving the business environment. These legal improvement proposals which target the sustainable development of all sectors of economy, are being implemented and discussed with the Parliament and the Government. At the same time, the justice reform in the Republic of Moldova, its active monitoring and control of its functioning are still a priority. FIA proposed setting up a Program and an exchange mechanism between businesses and the authorities for implementing the National Development Strategy “European Moldova 2030”.
The Prime-Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Natalia Gavrilita, in her speech highlighted the essential role of the continuous strategic exchanges between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the businesses in developing and implementing Moldova’s sustainable development strategies and plans. Dumitru Alaiba, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Economy, Budget and Finance presented the priorities and tasks set forth by the governing political class in the elaborated National Strategy.
Strategic sustainable development is a priority for all countries, particularly for the Republic of Moldova under the current global and regional crisis, Dominika STOJANOSKA, acting UN Moldova resident coordinator mentioned in her speech. In this connection, the example of the Ukrainian company, Astarta-Kyiv, stands out, whose CEO and founder Victor Ivanciuc, had been awarded the title of “2022 SDG Pioneer in Business sustainable development strategy” by the UN. An inspirational example of developing this large agro-industrial holding in the conditions of war in Ukraine was presented at the conference by Julia Bereshchenko, CFA, Director for business sustainable development and IR at Astarta-Kyiv.
Foreign investors in the neighbouring countries are already actively cooperating with the national authorities for implementing sustainable development strategies. The practices and outcomes of such exchanges between the businesses with the Government in Romania had been presented by Alexandra Irimiea, Executive Director of Foreign Investors Council from Romania.
FIA members have presented the practices of their companies in implementing various sustainable development actions: investments in economic and business infrastructure; support and development of local communities and local entrepreneurship, of social area and cultural diversity; investments in green energy and digital transformation, modern education and medicine; ensuring accessible jobs in Moldova’s regions, etc.
