UNDP CONCERNED ABOUT HIGH RATE OF EMIGRATION FROM MOLDOVA

Moldova is holding the 11th place among world countries in terms of emigration, while 80 thousand of children have at least one of parents working abroad. Such data were presented by the United Nations Development Program, calling the society and the diaspora to promote local entrepreneurship and help reunite the families, destroyed by migration.

According to UNDP representative Tatiana Solonari, around 10% of the country population is living at risk of poverty, Moldova is among the Europe’s poorest countries and by 2060 the country population will fall 29% due to low birth rate and high emigration.

“In 2016, the share of remittances in the gross domestic product (GDP) accounted for 20%. Though these finances contribute to lowering of the poverty, they could have been invested more productively and have a greater impact on the development of local communities. This is one of problems the UN is caring about together with the Government, by means of complex support to policy, the promotion of Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Moldova’s National Development Strategy”, she said.

According to her, the Government, with the support of the UN, established an inclusive economic growth and creation of jobs in rural areas for achieving all the 17 sustainable development goals.

“Consultations with over 20 thousand compatriots abroad have been conducted due to 38 associations of citizens, created on the periphery in the process of development of local strategies of socio-economic development and establishing local development priorities. Over 9 thousand of them provided financial assistance by means of a crowdfunding platform for 55 rural projects to ensure more quality services to 300 thousand villagers. The contributions exceeded the sum of US$200 thousand”, Solonari concluded.