Navigating Crises, Fostering Progress: The Important Role of UN’s Coordination in Moldova's Development - op-ed written by Simon Springett, Resident Coordinator of UN in Moldova

Alongside the UN Country Team, Resident Coordinator Office, and all UN staff, we have significantly contributed to advancing Moldova's progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a better quality of life for its citizens. 

Our efforts have not gone unnoticed, Moldova’s progress in SDG implementation being recognized in the 2023 Regional SDG Progress Report, positioning the country as a model for neighbouring nations. Notably, Moldova ascended from 46th place in 2022 to 25th in 2023, according to the global Sustainable Development Report. Progress on the SDG attainment has a direct connection with the advancement on the EU Acquis requirements as highlighted by the joint analysis ”Leveraging the Synergies of the EU Accession and the SDGs for the Sustainable Development of Moldova” conducted by the Government, EU Delegation, and United Nations in Moldova on synergies between the SDGs and the EU accession process. The mapping shows that 76% of SDG targets are linked to individual EU accession negotiation chapters or clusters, while 93% of the Cooperation Framework indicators to the policy recommendations of European Commission (EC). The analysis serves now as a tool for the authorities and development partners to monitor the way both processes – the EU accession and the SDGs agenda – reinforce and complement each other.

Yet, our journey hasn't been without obstacles. Over the course of nearly five years, the United Nations in Moldova had to confront two consecutive crises—the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine— both of which have deeply impacted the government, its citizens, and all socio-economic sectors, posing a significant threat to the well-being of the most vulnerable persons, who were at risk of falling into poverty. In this context, the United Nations had to deliver faster, more, and better to be able to offer the necessary support to the country to face the challenges brought by the crises and to keep the pace of the on-going reforms for the sustainable development of Moldova leaving no-one behind. At all times, people, especially those vulnerable, were and continue to be at the heart of all United Nations actions.

In between crises, we managed to develop the Cooperation Framework 2023-2027, aligning it with national priorities and needs as well as with the European aspirations of Moldova. The UN Country Team has expanded from 18 to 24 entities over the past four years, while the number of staff has tripled, reaching 679 employees by April 2024. To enhance transparency of the United Nations’ work and achievements in Moldova, in 2022 there were developed two dashboards: UN Info Moldova and Common Country Analysis. These initiatives ensured uniformity in data used across all UN entities bolstering the UN's accountability while fostering trust among partners in the effectiveness and efficiency of its initiatives. 

Navigating two crises: UN's multifaceted response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the imperative for coordination and synchronization of actions, resources, and planning at local and global scales alike. Collaborating closely with the government and partners, the United Nations swiftly addressed pressing needs and provided vital support, including the procurement and distribution of vaccines and assistance to various vulnerable groups disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Our efforts facilitated the administration of 1,8 million vaccine doses across 578 vaccination centres and the issuance of over one million vaccination certificates. 

Furthermore, the Socio-Economic Response and Recovery Plan, developed by the UN, strategically integrated socio-economic recovery efforts within the national COVID-19 response and long-term development plans, ensuring inclusivity and resilience. Multilateralism and coordination proved to be essential in managing this emergency.

As Moldova endeavoured to recover from the pandemic, another crisis hit the country —the war in Ukraine — resulting in an influx of refugees. Moldova has received more refugees per capita than any other country with almost one million refugees crossing the country and over 120 thousand finding shelter in Moldova, mostly women with children and elderly persons. This influx put an enormous burden on the government and its citizens. Moreover, the increased energy prices heightened the risk of poverty for vulnerable groups of people who were already exposed. To mitigate these challenges, the government of Moldova, UN agencies, local and international organizations joined forces in an unpreceded manner to respond to the effects of the crises alongside development cooperation and peacebuilding work by providing assistance to both refugees and host communities, strengthening national systems, and investing in supporting social cohesion between the refugee and local population.​ We are proud that in Moldova, the response to crisis has focused on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus approach from the outset. 

Advancing Gender Equality in Moldova

The UN Country Team in Moldova is strongly committed to integrating a gender perspective into its initiatives and projects, and identifying transformative actions to reduce inequalities in line with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2022, a comprehensive national gender assessment was conducted to gauge the state of gender equality in Moldova across various sectors including education, health, economic opportunities, and voice and agency and to better understand the root causes of gender inequality in Moldova.

Women from Moldova face heightened vulnerability to poverty due to several factors including the unequal distribution of unpaid care responsibilities, lower employment rates among women—especially mothers with young children—and disparities in pension benefits. Statistics reveal that in 2019, 54% of those living below the poverty line were women. Moreover, retirement often exacerbates poverty among elderly women, particularly in rural areas, where pensions are significantly lower.

The findings of this assessment have been instrumental in shaping key strategic and analytical frameworks within the UN system, such as the new World Bank Country Partnership Framework for the Republic of Moldova, the UN 2021 Common Country Analysis, and the Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development 2023-2027. 

Empowering data-driven decision-making

Data integrity and accessibility has always played a pivotal role in informing evidence-based decision-making and policy formulation and implementation at local and national levels. The UN in Moldova has significantly contributed to improving the National Bureau of Statistics’ data capabilities, including through digitalization that resulted specifically in improved data quality for vulnerable and marginalized groups. At the beginning of 2024 the population and housing census questionnaire was carried out being fully digitalized due to the UN support.

UN Coordination: Driving Transformation through the ”Restart” Reform in Moldova

Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, various UN agencies, funds and programmes were able to align their support and provide their expertise to the Restart reform, one of the most complex reforms Moldova has gone through in the last 15 years, encompassing labor inspection, social protection, national employment agency reorganization/labour market and child protection, aligned seamlessly with UN priorities and the mandates of various UN agencies, funds, and programs in Moldova. Coordination emerged as a cornerstone in designing, launching, and implementing the reform, with UN agencies providing steadfast support throughout the process. 

Empowering Youth Voices: The UN Adolescents and Youth Advisory Panel in Moldova

In Moldova, youth comprise almost 30% of the general population, representing a driving force for a better, more sustainable future.

To better understand the priorities, challenges, and concerns of the youth in Moldova, the United Nations Country Team, has created the UN Adolescents and Youth Advisory Panel (UN AYAP) to facilitate dialogues between young people from Moldova and the United Nations, empowering young people to speak up and supporting the UN Country Team in integrating the wellbeing of youth into its sustainable development agenda.

Over 1500 young people were reached since 2021 via the “SDG in your school” campaign carried out by the AYAP members in schools, youth centres and other youth institutions calling their peers to join efforts to build a better, greener and more sustainable future at home. 

As I bid farewell to Moldova, I am filled with a bittersweet blend of sadness and satisfaction for the results we’ve achieved together with the government, partners, civil society, private sector, and individuals in advancing the country's sustainable development. 

Indeed, as they say: “If the United Nations wouldn’t exist, we would have to invent it”.