NOK 350 million in support to Moldova

‘Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is having a severe impact on Moldova. The country is being subjected to a massive Russian disinformation campaign and the war in its neighbouring country is having an adverse effect on the Moldovan economy,’ said Prime Minister Støre.

The unstable security situation in Moldova was at the top of the agenda during Mr Støre’s meeting with Ms Sandu on Tuesday morning. Russia’s war against Ukraine has created a number of difficulties for Moldova, particularly in the areas of energy security and hybrid threats.

‘Moldova is therefore the only one of Ukraine’s neighbouring countries receiving support under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine. So far, this funding has primarily been used to help alleviate humanitarian needs, to safeguard energy security and strengthen the reform process. The new allocation of NOK 350 million will be used to expand cooperation to more sectors, including education and good governance efforts in the country,’ said Mr Støre.

Other participants at the meeting included Moldovan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popsoi, Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov and Minister of Defence Anatolie Nosatîi.

Norwegian assistance to Moldova increased significantly in 2023, bringing it to a far higher level than in previous years. The 2023 figures were presented by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) today. Moldova received NOK 799 million in support last year and is now the seventh largest recipient of Norwegian aid. The energy sector received NOK 410 million, more than any other sector. In addition, NOK 278 million in humanitarian aid was provided to help alleviate the refugee situation in the country.

The Norwegian Government recently decided to open an embassy office in the Moldovan capital Chișinău.

‘The state visit is taking place against a grim backdrop. Russia’s war of aggression has had serious repercussions for the security landscape across all of Europe. However, Moldova is an inspiring example of how democratisation and progress can also take place under extremely challenging circumstances,’ said Prime Minister Støre.

The two-day state visit from Moldova began on 6 May when Their Majesties The King and Queen formally welcomed President Sandu to Norway. The Moldovan President also met with the President of the Storting (Norwegian parliament) and the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence. The day concluded with a gala dinner at the Royal Palace.

The second day of the state visit included a meeting with Prime Minister Støre and a luncheon with the members of the Government, as well as a visit to the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and University of Oslo to discuss Moldova’s path to democratisation and European integration with students and representatives of the research community.