Moldova – Making the Most of Migration


With one third of Moldova’s population living abroad, the current country`s leadership is firmly committed to harness the development potential of migration. Previous Swiss-supported interventions resulted in a unique mobilization of Moldovan migrants committed to contribute to the development of their home communities. Switzerland will further support Moldova to ensure the sustainability of diaspora engagement models and to improve evidence-based governance through reliable demographic statistics, including migration trends.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Moldova
Governance
Migration
Decentralisation
Democratic participation and civil society
Diaspora for development
Public sector policy
01.06.2023 - 31.12.2026
CHF  2’670’000
Background Moldova's population is decreasing at one of the fastest rates globally, because of the negative natural growth combined with one of the world's highest emigration rates. Emigrants remain generally attached to their communities of origin and are willing to contribute to their development. While in the past eight years the innovative models of diaspora engagement (such as Home-town Associations / HTAs), which has been developed and expanded with Swiss support, achieved important results in strengthening the relations between the state, local communities and emigrants, the process requires further systemic support from the Government of Moldova and development partners.
Objectives Moldovan people have improved living standards, benefitting from more inclusive, accountable, responsive, and evidencebased governance, and from increased participation of migrants and diaspora in their home country’s sustainable development.
Target groups Relevant central and local authorities, civil society organizations (incl. HTAs and diaspora associations), migrants, community members, and academia. Final beneficiary is the Moldovan society as a whole, benefitting from improved democratic processes, reliable data and evidence-based development interventions. In the spirit of the "leave no one behind" (LNOB) principle, the project will ensure meaningful involvement of vulnerable groups (people with disabilities, refugees from Ukraine, etc.).
Medium-term outcomes

This project will further strengthen the institutional framework of the M&D sector, by ensuring the sustainability of migrants’ engagement models and by improving evidence-based governance.

Outcome 1:    Central and local authorities plan and implement more inclusive, accountable, and responsive policies based on population projections and demographic realities, duly considering migration trends and different models of diaspora/migrants’ engagement.

Outcome 2:    Community members, including migrants / diaspora and vulnerable / excluded groups, meaningfully engage in developing democratic and resilient communities.

Results

Expected results:  

-    Governmental mechanisms are enhanced to support community development with participation of civil society and migrants.

-    The population projections and disaggregated demographic data at national and sub-national levels (incl. migration profiles) enable local and central authorities to develop and implement evidence-based, inclusive, and responsive policies.

-    The HTAs Alliance are capacitated to play the role of a knowledge center and enabler for structures and models of migrants’ organization and engagement.

-    Local stakeholders and migrants are empowered to engage in community development, return / reintegration, and social cohesion initiatives.


Results from previous phases:  

-    The project resulted in an unprecedented mobilization of Moldovan migrants. Almost 1/3 of around 900 municipalities in Moldova built pro-active partnerships with the diaspora. Each 1 CHF provided by Switzerland for the community development initiatives within the project mobilized 2.3 CHF from migrants and community members (through HTAs), Local Public Authorities and Moldovan Government. Their overall joint contributions reached CHF 4.3 mio, i.e. over 70% of the total community initiatives cost of CHF 6.12 mio.

-    The cooperation between various Central and Local Public Authorities and institutions dealing with Migration & Development (M&D) was strengthened, bringing them closer for a more coordinated and coherent work.

-    The government became an enabler for diaspora mobilization through its Bureau for Relations with Diaspora. The first ever National Strategy “Diaspora 2025” has been approved, acknowledging Moldova`s commitment towards all its citizens regardless of their place of residence.

-    Moldova’s statistical system has been improved and modernized, considering the country`s migration trends.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
Foreign state institution
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • Central State of South East
  • United Nations Development Programme
  • United Nations Population Fund


Other partners

State Chancellery/Bureau for Relations with Diaspora

United Nations Development Program

United Nations Population Fund

Coordination with other projects and actors M&D being a cross-cutting theme for the Swiss Cooperation Program in Moldova, synergies with interventions in other domains (Local Governance, Economic Development & Employment, and Health) will be continuously fostered. The closest connection will be with the UNDPimplemented project on “Resilient and Inclusive Markets”. Interactions will be sought with SDC Global Program Migration and Forced Displacement.
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    2’670’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    1’545’030
Project phases Phase 3 01.06.2023 - 31.12.2026   (Current phase) Phase 2 01.01.2019 - 31.05.2023   (Active) Phase 1 15.01.2014 - 31.12.2018   (Active)