Moldova - Making the Most of Migration

About 1/3 of the active Moldovan labor force has migrated permanently or temporarily in the last decade. Moldova is among the world's top remittance recipients (about 22% of the GDP). Migrants' remittances have had significant social effects and improved the livelihood of many. At the same time, the savings of Moldovan migrants represent a vastly underexploited Pool of private capital, amounting to billions of Euro. A quarter of Moldovan migrants are interested to invest, together with local public authorities, in their home communities, in projects to improve roads, to build irrigation, drinking water, gas and sanitation systems. Taking into account the potential impact of migration on the country's transition capacity, a non-core program on Migration & Development (M&D) has been included in the 2014-17 Swiss Cooperation Strategy (CS) for Moldova. The interventions presented in the current proposal form a comprehensive program covering the main M&D priorities outlined in the CS, in line with all relevant national policy documents, as well as with the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.

To maximize the positive impact of migration on the country's socio-economic development through an improved national and local institutional framework, private sector involvement, and enhanced engagement of the diaspora.

Bureau for Relations with Diaspora (BRD) within the State Chancellery/Prime Minister's Office; Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family (MLSPF); National Employment Agency (NEA) and its subordinated regional offices; district and local authorities; private sector partners; relevant NGOs

Final beneficiaries are people from communities aftected by migration, migrants and members of their families, as well as diaspora associations and migrants' networks attracted in designing migration policies and contributing to their practical implementation. The main countries of destination tor Moldovan migrants are: Russia, Itaiy, France, Turkey and Portugal.

• Women and men affected directly and indirectly by migration benefit from formal and comprehensive services and actively engage in the development of their home country and communities
• National and local public authorities implement adequate migration policies and create an enabling environment for the productive involvement of Moldovan migrants in their homeland development
• Private sector partners at local, national and international levels take innovative actions to develop and test products, services and investment channels, relevant for migrants and their families

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

• Switzerland contributed to bringing M&D high on Moldova's political agenda. The development potential of migration is now acknowledged by all political forces. The government is engaged in international fora on M&D and plays a pioneering role in expioring new approaches in this field
• Capacities of national authorities to collect and analyse data on migration processes, and to develop a diaiogue with the Moldovan diaspora improved significantiy
• Moldovan migrants and their families have better access to practical support during the migration experience. A number of specific service-packages have been developed based on demands identified through ongoing market analysis. Services are available through four one stop shops or online

Phase 1 15.01.2014 - 31.12.2018   (Completed)