{"id":18973,"date":"2024-06-14T07:49:29","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T07:49:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/?p=18973"},"modified":"2024-06-14T07:49:29","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T07:49:29","slug":"now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-moldova","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/?p=18973","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Now is the time to invest in Moldova\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Moldova\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalisation Dumitru Alaiba talks to Emerging Europe about how the country\u2019s ambitious digital transformation is driving investment and changing international perceptions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A state that respects its citizens and provides them with services and information\u2014not a state that sends its citizens on a bureaucratic paper chase every time they need to get something done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That, says Dumitru Alaiba, Moldova\u2019s deputy prime minister and minister of economic development and digitalisation, is one of the underlying concepts behind the country\u2019s digital transformation, which was on full display last week at the <a href=\"https:\/\/moldovadigitalsummit.md\/\">Moldova Digital Summit<\/a>\u2014a showcase for Moldova\u2019s progress so far, and a demonstration of its further potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor years, our entrepreneurs had to travel outside of the country to attend an event such as this,\u201d adds Alaiba, pictured above on stage at the summit. \u201cNow we have an event that rivals anything in the region.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/news\/europes-first-e-park-is-at-the-heart-of-moldovas-emergence-as-an-it-powerhouse\/\">Europe\u2019s first e-park is at the heart of Moldova\u2019s emergence as an IT powerhouse<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/news\/is-moldovas-diaspora-ready-to-return-home\/\">Is Moldova\u2019s diaspora ready to return home?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/news\/the-challenges-facing-female-entrepreneurs-in-moldova\/\">The challenges facing female entrepreneurs in Moldova<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Increasingly, Moldova has a digital society that can rival anything else in the region too. One of the highlights of the summit was the launch of <a href=\"https:\/\/evo.gov.md\/\">EVO<\/a>, an app designed to bring Moldova\u2019s people\u2014and businesses\u2014closer to public services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The app incorporates a number of digital documents\u2014ID card, driver\u2019s license, registration certificate\u2014in a secure and simple way, and carries the same legal power as physical documents\u2014 it was Alaiba who pushed through the relevant legislation last year. To demonstrate, Alaiba pulls out his phone and shows me his ID card\u2014stored digitally in the app. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Within a few years, EVO will make all public services available at the touch of a smartphone screen. The target date is 2030, but Alaiba believes that it will be reached much earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the business sector, the target could be met in just a couple of years. \u201cThis time last year 38 per cent of public services for companies were available online,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s now 60 per cent. By the end of this year it will be 75 per cent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alaiba adds that in the first quarter of this year, of the 1.2 million business-government interactions that could be carried out digitally, one million were. He admits that take-up among the general public is slower, but that \u201caround a third\u201d of interactions are now digital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Redefining Moldova<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>As well as making the lives of citizens less bureaucratic and facilitating the ease of business, digital societies are also more transparent\u2014and less corrupt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur score on Transparency International\u2019s Corruption Perceptions Index has never been better,\u201d says Alaiba, \u201cbut there is still a long way to go and a lot of work to do. We see digitalisation as a very efficient measure to prevent corruption. It&#8217;s about building trust and transforming the way the government is seen by people and entrepreneurs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moldova\u2019s digital push also represents a significant leap that enhances the nation&#8217;s global image and attractiveness as a modern, dynamic destination for foreign investment. As the world increasingly embraces digital technologies, Moldova&#8217;s commitment to developing robust, seamless digital public services is a strategic move to streamline government operations, enhance transparency, and improve the overall efficiency of public administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This transition not only bolsters the country&#8217;s administrative capabilities but also signals to the international community that Moldova is dedicated to fostering an innovative and business-friendly environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe see economic development, of which digitalisation is a key driver, as a huge opportunity to redefine what Moldova means and how it is seen from outside. It&#8217;s a country that is changing fast, that is developing, that is modernising,\u201d says Alaiba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, Alaiba believes that digitalisation is a huge economic enabler\u2014and is keen to ensure that progress is not limited to the country\u2019s booming IT sector. \u201cWe see digitalisation as an opportunity to leap forwards, to offer the economy a productivity and efficiency boost in each and every sector,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The IT sector<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Nevertheless, it is currently Moldova\u2019s IT sector that is the country\u2019s flagship industry\u2014an increasingly important part of the country\u2019s brand. \u201cWe are a regional leader in IT and I am proud of that, says Alaiba.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The sector has been bolstered by the Moldova Information Technology Park (<a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.hs-sites.com\/it-investment-guide-moldova-2024\">MITP<\/a>), Europe\u2019s first e-park whose residents benefit from a flat tax rate of seven per cent on turnover. Now accounting for around 80 per cent of the Moldovan IT sector and some five per cent of Moldovan exports, it\u2019s an initiative whose success recently saw its lifespan extended until at least 2035.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MITP\u2019s success means that in 2022 Moldova had the highest ICT services growth rates among neighbouring countries and regional competitors (Ukraine, Belarus, Romania, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). Good infrastructure has helped\u2014the average internet speed in Moldova is higher than in some more developed countries (such as Germany, Switzerland or Estonia).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moldova\u2019s digital transformation reached a milestone in September 2023 with the official endorsement of the country\u2019s Digital Transformation Strategy for 2023-2030. It sets out an ambitious goal: to become an innovative, all-encompassing digital society with modern infrastructure, digitally literate citizens, a pro-digital administration, a thriving digital business community, and a collaborative environment fostering innovation and sustainable human development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;[The strategy] prioritises the interests of our citizens, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, and attracting foreign investment,\u201d says Alaiba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then there\u2019s the Digital Europe Programme, which Moldova <a href=\"https:\/\/eufordigital.eu\/moldova-to-join-e7-5-billion-digital-europe-programme\/\">joined<\/a> in February. Moldova\u2019s admission to the programme will permit businesses, town halls, NGOs and central authorities to access EU funding for digitalisation projects with a budget of 7.5 billion euros for 2021\u20132027. Moldova will be able to benefit from financial support and expertise to improve its digital infrastructure and promote innovation and digital inclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was a document I was very happy to sign,\u201d says Alaiba. \u201cIt\u2019s a huge opportunity for our public sector, our SMEs, and our entrepreneurs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018We are building a business-enabling state\u2019<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Digitalisation is crucial for Moldova as it seeks to compete on the European stage, offering a secure digital infrastructure that can attract international investors. By simplifying bureaucratic processes, reducing corruption, and ensuring greater accessibility to government services, digital public services can significantly enhance the ease of doing business in Moldova.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This, in turn, can attract foreign businesses looking for a stable and efficient market to invest in, contributing to economic growth and development. As Alaiba puts it, \u201cwe\u2019re not just building a digital state, we are building a business-enabling state\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis really is the moment for businesses to move into Moldova and to really start growing together with the country,\u201d he adds. \u201cThe cost of entry is still relatively low. But we&#8217;re looking at a period of accelerated economic growth\u2014I want high single figure growth\u2014so it won\u2019t remain low cost forever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAt every business forum with every investor, the message I am putting across is this: moving into Moldova right now, you will triple your investment in the next decade. But it must be now, because in two years&#8217; time, it might be too late.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Unlike many news and information platforms,&nbsp;<em>Emerging Europe<\/em>&nbsp;is free to read, and always will be.&nbsp;There is no paywall here.&nbsp;We are independent,&nbsp;not affiliated with nor representing any political party or business&nbsp;organisation.&nbsp;We want the very best for emerging Europe, nothing more, nothing less. Your support will help us continue to spread the word about this amazing region.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You can contribute&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/emergingeurope.krtra.com\/t\/NlQnFuOA2C9c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. Thank you.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emergingeurope.krtra.com\/t\/NlQnFuOA2C9c\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/copy-of-add-a-heading.png\" alt=\"emerging europe support independent journalism\" class=\"wp-image-50811\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Moldova\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalisation Dumitru Alaiba talks to Emerging Europe about how the country\u2019s ambitious digital transformation is driving<span class=\"excerpt-hellip\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[6707,7466,7174,7468,6320,7467,7176,348,7177,7175,61],"class_list":["post-18973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-analysis","tag-digital-transformation","tag-digitalisation","tag-dumitru-alaiba","tag-evo","tag-featured","tag-investment-in-moldova","tag-mitp","tag-moldova","tag-moldova-information-technology-park","tag-moldova-it-sector","tag-technology-innovation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18973","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18973"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18973\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}