WE BRING EUROPE HOME: 12 communities from both banks of Dniester benefit from EU's support for local development

Chisinau, 24 July /MOLDPRES/ - Twelve settlements on both banks of Dniester have been selected to benefit from support for local development.  

The settlements of Holercani, Coșnița, Cârnățeni, Sănătăuca, Puhăceni and Hârbovăț (on the right bank of Dniester), as well as Rașcov, Gâsca, Teiul, Pervomaisc, Butor and Ternovca (on the left bank of Dniester) will be backed, in order to involve the residents in the planning and monitoring of local development. The support is provided by the European Union within the Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

„UNDP successfully developed and tested an innovative model of Diaspora’s involvement in the local development and contributed to the creation of over 100 initiative groups and associations of native residents. We set to extend this experience, in order to improve the infrastructure and the local services and to consolidate the local governance,’’ a programme manager of UNDP Moldova, Olesea Cazacu, said.

The 12 settlements selected will be guided by civil society’s organizations – Alliance of the Associations of Native Residents and the Agency for Regional Development from Tiraspol, which signed a cooperation agreement to this end on 24 May 2024.   

During one year, those 12 communities will be assisted to identity, formulate, plan and implement local initiatives. Thus, through the involvement of men and women, members of the community and the Diaspora in local development processes, the financial and human potential will be developed, which will contribute to the improvement of the living standards on both banks of the Dniester river and to the building of confidence.  

At the second stage, six infrastructure projects will be selected, by three ones for each bank, which will be implemented with financing provided by the EU’s Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP.    

Through the support of these 12 settlements, the European Union continues its backing for the improvement of the cooperation between communities on both banks of the Dniester river through joint projects which imply local partners, civil society’s organizations and other sides interested.  

The Confidence Building Measures Programme, financed by the European Union and implemented by UNDP, contributes to the strengthening of the trust between the residents on both banks of Dniester, through their involvement in joint development projects.