The Bilateral Development Cooperation Programme of the Czech Republic with Moldova for 2018-2023 is being elaborated as a consensual document across the Czech public institutions and with active involvement of local authorities, non-governmental and business community. It is conceived as a basis for the Czech Republic’s coordinated and consolidated development cooperation in Moldova with a view to enhancing its sustainability, coherence and visibility.

The Programme draws on Moldova’s needs and priorities as well as on the Czech Republic´s experiences from previous development projects in Moldova. As a whole, the Programme focuses on supporting balanced regional development in the country and narrowing economic and social differences. To achieve this, the Programme´s main priorities are: sustainable management of natural resources (in particular water and sanitation), inclusive social development (notably vulnerable groups), good democratic governance (crucially participatory decision making) and agriculture and rural development. 

Moldova is a priority country of the Czech development cooperation; it receives about 20% of the Czech budget for bilateral development cooperation projects. The projects are an important instrument of the Czech foreign policy and its wider priorities concerning Moldova, above all supporting the country´s territorial integrity, its democratic, economic and social reforms, and assisting its approximation to the European Union.   

The programming mission of the representatives of the Czech MFA and CzDA met the top representatives of Moldova´s concerned ministries, selected regional authorities, and other donors and implementers of the projects. According to their feedback, the Programme´s focus and envisaged activities are in line with Moldova´s actual needs and priorities as well as with experiences and added value of the Czech engagement. Following the mission´s findings, the Programme will be slightly refined and submitted to other stakeholders in the Czech Republic for discussion, finalisation and approval as a framework for the Czech development cooperation in Moldova for the next five years.