Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova

STATEMENT

by Mr. Lilian Darii,

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova

to the Annual Ministerial Meeting of LLDCs Foreign Ministers

(New York, September 22, 2016)

Madame Chair,

Allow me to begin by thanking you for organizing this meeting, which is very timely in terms of start-up synergy of the Vienna Programme of Action and 2030 Agenda. I would also like to extend my delegation appreciation for your skillful exercise of the Global Chair of the Group of LLDC.

We welcome the adopted Ministerial communiqué, as an important tool in speeding up the Vienna Programme of Action in coherence with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. The Republic of Moldova is fully supportive of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through revitalized Global Partnerships taking into account the special needs and vulnerabilities of the LLDCs.

My delegation believes that only promoting structural economic transformation will help LLDC to reduce the negative impact of landlockedness and consequences of external shocks.

Being a LLDC, the highest priority of the Republic of Moldova is to build up a modern democratic state, based on European standards and values. This involves efforts in implementing reforms to reduce poverty, to develop private sector, with special emphasis on SMEs, and to improve investment environment and national economic competitiveness.

The economic performance of a LLDC country like Republic of Moldova is directly impacted by its sound trade relations. The Government of the Republic of Moldova concentrated its efforts to develop trade relations with its partners.

So far Moldova signed Free Trade Agreements with 43 countries, 28 member states of which are EU members (DCFTA), CIS member-states, Countries of Eastern Europe (Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Bulgaria). Also, Moldova benefits of preferential trade agreements with countries such as Norway, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, and USA.

We expect that free trade area and institutional reforms will attract investors and spur economic growth. This year the National Strategy for Investment Attraction and Export Promotion 2016-2020 has been adopted, The Strategy is designed to enhancing structural diversification of Moldovan exports which was traditionally heavily leaning on several commodities only. An important feature of the Strategy is the fact that it targets small number of industrial sectors, most promising in terms of attracting FDI, creating jobs and export promotion potential for the next 4-5 years.

In terms of infrastructure rehabilitation, beginning with 2009, about 10% of the national roads were completely renovated; another 10% are currently under rehabilitation. We aim to accelerate this process through enforcement of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy by 2022 and consolidation of the National Road Fund. International partnerships remain instrumental in developing and implementing such complex infrastructure projects.

In addition, consistent efforts are made to develop the International Giurgiulesti Free Port - the only one operational in the country since 2006 and accessible for maritime ships, with potential to turn into a new important commercial hub. 2015 statistical data confirm positive dynamics of the port development. In 2015, while the number of import containers slightly decreased due to the challenging economic environment, the number of sea containers used for the export of Moldovan goods increased by 42%. The transhipment of liquid and dry bulk cargo via Giurgiulesti International Free Port increased by 8% to a total of 731,5 thousand tons in 2015.

These modernization measures might be conducive to the territorial reintegration of the country having in mind the Transnistrian conflict. The reinstatement of the constitutional rule over the whole territory of the country is fundamental for the conduct of lawful and transparent commercial activities and avoids all sort of trafficking in the region.

Despite the efforts made, we continue our endeavours, so that to overcome constraints in conducting trade relations due to poor infrastructure, increased costs for transportation and limited access to world markets.

For this very reason, my country fully supports the Vienna Programme of Action, as a platform for advancing LLDCs priorities and raising awareness about the vulnerabilities, but also about the tremendous potential for commercial exchanges, economic diversification and cooperation opportunities with LLDCs. The Republic of Moldova remains committed to contribute to streamlining, promoting and implementing the LLDCs Vienna Programme of Action and is open for productive and business oriented partnerships in the future.

I thank you!