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Moldova Sets its Sights on Global Innovation Leadership, with Top-Level Support from the President and Prime Minister and Frontier Innovators the US and Sweden

CHISINAU, Moldova, Nov. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

President Maia Sandu has challenged Moldovans to "Start Innovation" (https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=380279860452256 ) to carve a path to a new

and better future. Moldova faces serious challenges from migration and brain

drain to corruption, economic disparity, and low wages; but its leaders see

this moment of rapid global digitalization as a unique opportunity to harness

innovation and technology to create a future-ready economy and democracy.

“Moldova may not be blessed with natural gas, oil, or other resources. Instead,

Moldova is endowed with talented and inventive people. Thanks to them, we have

enormous potential for development which we must capitalize on. The tech

revolution has changed the way we live, work, and learn. The Future cannot be

predicted, but it can be created. Through education, research, and

technological development, we can transform Moldova into an innovative country.

Let’s be the change in an ever-changing world," said President Sandu,

jumpstarting the launch of a nation-wide innovation campaign. The President

underscored the key role of technology in innovation, "Digitalization can lower

transaction costs, increase transparency, and reduce corruption. But it is

innovation that can harness that technology to do so much more".

Moldova’s burgeoning tech industry has the potential to drive innovation and

growth across the entire economy. With Moldova’s IT exports growing 100-fold in

the last 15 years to $258M in 2020, IT is the fastest growing sector in the

country. It also pays four times the country average wage. The Government’s

innovative virtual IT Park policy with a single 7% tax on technology,

engineering, R&D, and createch businesses has paid off, attracting 900 resident

firms from 35 countries and encouraging formalization of small tech firms and

entrepreneurs. Moldova plans to use its burgeoning IT sector and tech

capabilities to digitally transform winemaking, agriculture, tourism, green

manufacturing, and media. Moldova's Harvard educated Prime Minister Natalia

Gavriliţa, who previously served as the Director of the Global Innovation

Fund, has set innovation as a key priority and appointed a dedicated Deputy

Prime Minister for Digitalization for the first time to lead Government digital

transformation. Prime Minister Gavriliţa noted, "For the Republic of

Moldova, technologies represent a valuable economic opportunity with a visible

impact on quality of life". The Moldovan Government is teaming up with the

country’s largest universities to increase IT and engineering graduates and

create tech-driven specialties in new media, creative technologies, and digital

fashion, educating students for the jobs of the future.

In its innovation journey, Moldova will be supported by top global innovators –

the United States and Sweden - to develop a digital, creative, and sustainable

economy and propel Moldova to the top of the Global Innovation Index. In

support of Moldova's vision, the USAID Administrator Samantha Power visited the

Republic of Moldova and launched the Future Technologies Activity (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBcGtUajjuA ) – Moldova’s widest-reaching and

largest technology development project – at $32.8 million – funded by USAID and

Sweden.

"Moldova's young people are talented, creative, and energized. But if the

industries of the future develop outside of Moldova’s borders, then those young

people will be tempted to take their talents abroad rather than develop their

careers here at home. The Future Technologies Activity will help create

pathways for Moldova’s youth. It will allow Moldovan companies to access

European and global markets. It will equip young Moldovans with the skills and

knowledge they need to take advantage of a growing digital economy. And it will

help make the words, 'Made in Moldova' a point of pride here at home and a mark

of quality around the world", said Samantha Power, the USAID Administrator.

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBcGtUajjuA

Photo -

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1697210/Future_Technologies_Launch_Event.jpg

Source: Moldova Future Technologies Activity funded by USAID and Sweden