October 20 (SeeNews) - Representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) board of directors will arrive in Moldova for a four-day visit on October 23, the bank said on Friday.
They will discuss EBRD’s support for Moldova's economy with a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives of the country’s authorities, foreign and local investors, business associations, non-governmental organisations, development partners and diplomats, the bank said in a press release.
The delegation will also pay a visit to the production facilities of two foreign investors in the automotive sector located in the free economic zone of Bălți, Moldova’s second-largest city. Among the companies present in the free economic zone are German automotive components maker Draexlmaier, Italian auto cable and wires manufacturer La Triveneta Cavi and Austria's Unger Steel construction company.
The visit will take place during preparation of a new EBRD country strategy for Moldova. The document, due for publication later this year, will set out the bank’s priorities for the period 2017-2022.
Among the key priorities under the new country strategy are the transformation of the banking sector, energy security and efficiency, improvements in competitiveness through support for viable firms, the promotion of foreign direct investment, and the development of transport and municipal infrastructure.
To date, the EBRD has invested over 1 billion euro ($1.18 billion) in various sectors of Moldova's economy: infrastructure, energy, banking, industry, commerce and agriculture.
($=0.8471 euro)