Message of the Secretary-General at the Moldova Support Platform 3rd Ministerial Conference

I thank the Governments of France, Germany and Romania for their commitment to the Moldova Support Platform, and the many other Member States joining this effort.

I also salute the enormous generosity of the citizens and Government of Moldova in hosting refugees from Ukraine.

During my two visits this year, I expressed solidarity with Moldovans and called on European partners to step up their support.

The war in Ukraine is setting in motion a number of related crises across the continent and around the world.  This includes soaring inflation, major supply chain disruptions, and increases in the cost of natural gas, electricity and food — all of which hit landlocked countries such as Moldova especially hard.

The crisis in Moldova’s energy markets is imposing a particularly deep cost.

Moldovan households are expected to spend almost two-thirds of their income on utilities — many of which are also hosting refugees from Ukraine.

We all share a responsibility to support the citizens and communities of Moldova.  

Investing in Moldova is critical to sustaining security and stability. Our response should address not only the emergency at hand, but also long-term development.

We must preserve hard-won achievements that have contributed to maintaining peace.

This includes supporting longer-term solutions like the National Development Strategy “Moldova 2030” that can build resilience against future shocks, and support Moldovans and refugees alike in their hour of need.

Across all of this work, the United Nations will continue to stand by the Government and people of Moldova.