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