Strategic Roundtable Discussion on Strengthening Cooperation

A very good morning and thank you for the opportunity to join you today. I join the EU in congratulating the government and people of Moldova on the recommendations received yesterday and look forward to additional positive outcomes in December.

Let me first compliment the National Food Safety Agency for the continuity in enhancing the quality of surveillance and control of food safety. This is important component in Moldova’s movement toward EU integration.

The project we are launching today will contribute to legislative reviews and compliance with EU regulations and technical requirements - including standards, technical regulations, and product-related directives in the context of implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. The increased compliance of the national system will further prepare the ground for Moldova producers to access the EU market.

The EU continues to be a major strategic partner of the United Nations in Moldova and the support through the EU for this project to further strengthen the ANSA and its’ laboratories' capacities and improve producers' capacities to access the market is exceptionally important.

This project will be delivered with the support of UNIDO, which since 2018 has been implementing the Country Program for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development in Moldova and becoming a reliable partner for further economic development.

This is an important effort to provide a systemic approach oriented toward market development as well as enhancing capacity to access other markets with products of higher added value.

The 24 UN agencies, funds and programmes in Moldova remain committed to supporting the government in its economic and social development. This UNIDO support through the collaboration with the EU is enhancing the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework which began in January of this year.