Financial aid for entrepreneurs of both banks of the Nistru to boost joint projects
Six newly established economic clusters will receive approximately $1.3 million in financial support to boost their development and promote economic cooperation between communities on both riverbanks. The assistance is provided by Sweden and the United Kingdom through the UNDP project "Advanced Cross-River Capacities for Trade"
The six economic clusters in the Republic of Moldova benefit from non-refundable financial support of up to $275,000 each. These clusters consist of groups of economic agents from specific production fields, including light industry, vegetable growing, tourism, and agri-food sectors. This grant assistance will enhance the production capabilities and quality of services within these sectors.
One of the beneficiaries is the "Riviera Nistrului" cluster, which promotes ecological tourism and integrated services for visitors. This cluster comprises 17 economic agents located around the Dubasari Reservoir. According to community member Ion Ștefăniță, the financial support will help boost the competitiveness of the region's tourism offerings. He noted that local entrepreneurs contribute an additional 10 percent investment.
"We have united in this regional cluster to develop our tourist brand focused on the destination of the Nistru Riviera, or the Moldovan Sea. Economic agents involved in local tourism received this grant for essential equipment, whether it be a pool, climate systems, renewable energy solutions, coffee machines, or other necessities for quality tourism."
Project manager Dumitru Parfentiev emphasized that the entrepreneurs' investment reaches 25 percent. He stated that the focus in working with each cluster is on the entire value chain, from suppliers to producers and distributors.
"This initiative is crucial for local economic development, creating new jobs, and diversifying the range of products available to residents on both banks of the Nistru. We aim to increase added value by not just selling fresh carrots but also offering them packaged, labeled, and calibrated in one-kilogram and half-kilogram bags. These products are suitable for commercial networks in the Republic of Moldova and are also targeted towards export."
Since 2019, UNDP Moldova and its partners—the European Union, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom—have invested $4.8 million in the formation and development of 17 clusters in Moldova. By 2024, nine of these clusters will have completed the excellence certification process.
