Meetings of the Task Force members

Strategizing and planning for 2025 on January 17th, 2025 

Members of the Task Force convened for their first meeting of 2025 to discuss activities, plans, ideas for 2025

Maia Sandu assumed office as president of the Republic of Moldova for a second term on December 24, 2024 with a few members of the Task Force joining the ceremony in person, in Chisinau. 

Several members of the Task Force have received the invitation to join the ceremony, with a few members managing to join in person: Veronica Cretu and Natalia Cucos. It has been a trully historic and special moment! 

Inauguration Speech of the President Sandu can be access from https://presedinte.md/eng/discursuri/mesajul-doamnei-maia-sandu-la-ceremonia-de-investitura-in-functia-de-presedinta-a-republicii-moldova 

In Summary, the core message by the President is that Moldova’s journey to becoming a prosperous European country is anchored in its heritage, optimism, fight, development, organization, will, and ambition. The President called for unity, resilience, and active participation from all Moldovans to achieve this shared vision of success. Maia Sandu, used The MOLDOVA Vision Framework

M - Moștenire (Heritage)
Moldova is a proud nation with resilient citizens who have chosen a clear direction toward becoming a developed, European country. The legacy of this mandate is Moldova’s aspiration: a peaceful and prosperous country in the European Union. The President emphasized unity, calling on all Moldovans, both at home and abroad, to contribute to this journey.

O - Optimism
Optimism is Moldova’s energy and charm, even during difficult times. The President acknowledged the challenges but encouraged citizens to regain and sustain their optimism daily, as it is the key to overcoming adversity and achieving success.

L - Luptă (Fight)
Moldova’s fight for its dream continues. The path to European integration requires self-reliance, transformation, and responsibility. Citizens must resist propaganda, remain fearless, and commit to necessary reforms without expecting external solutions to internal problems.

D - Dezvoltare (Development)
Development bridges dreams and reality. It requires individual and collective contributions to the common good, respect for laws, and rejection of corruption. Citizens must invest in their communities and learn from the past to build a better future for themselves and the country.

O - Organizare (Organisation)
To face unprecedented challenges, Moldova must organize better. The President reaffirmed a commitment to justice reform and institutional efficiency, pledging to hold the government accountable while working as a dedicated partner to ensure progress.

V - Voință (Will)
Moldova has the will to withstand the challenges ahead, including harsh winters and external pressures. The President called for perseverance, discipline, and creating alternatives to ensure freedom and security, echoing the resilience of past generations.

A - Ambiție (Ambition)
Ambition drives Moldova’s growth. The President urged citizens to strive to be better than before, to reject passivity, and to embrace the ambition to succeed for their families and the nation. Moldova’s progress depends on collective effort, self-improvement, and unity.

December 5, 2024 Online Members of the members of the Task Force to discuss the results of the survey aimed to reflect on diaspora engagement in 2024 Presidential elections and Constitutional referendum. 

During the meeting, the results of the Survey were presented, which can be access here and the meeting participants generated the following insights and reflections based on the presented results:  

1. Enhanced communication

   • Strengthening effective and constructive communication between Moldovan institutions and the diaspora.

   • Promoting opportunities among diaspora members and encouraging institutions to tailor their communication strategies to different diaspora groups and citizens at home.

   • Highlighting diaspora achievements to raise public awareness about their contributions to local communities and overall development.

2. Institutionalization of Diaspora Engagement

   • Proposing mechanisms such as a council under the State Chancellery to ensure the continuity of diaspora engagement efforts, regardless of government transitions.

3. Continuous civic engagement

   • Shifting the focus from electoral participation to ongoing civic involvement, ensuring a sustained connection between the diaspora and Moldova’s development.

4. Addressing political reticence among general population

   • Combating fear of political expression and reducing stigma and polarization, creating an environment where opinions can be voiced freely.

5. Reevaluating the role of Embassies

   • Clarifying and adapting the role of Moldovan embassies to foster genuine collaboration with the diaspora, considering societal changes and evolving needs.

6. Targeting Non-Affiliated Voters

   • Designing campaigns to engage politically inactive individuals who are vulnerable to disinformation, focusing on empowering informed decision-making.

7. Leveraging Opinion Leaders

   • Engaging non-political influencers to amplify democratic and constructive messages, extending the reach of positive narratives.

These insights complement the findings from the diaspora questionnaire and will be shared with relevant Moldovan institutions to guide future strategies, particularly in preparation for the 2025 parliamentary elections and beyond.

Call with Sergiu Porcescu (GIZ Consultant for BRD) on January 10, 2023 

Key Topics Discussed:

• Identification of public institutions' needs regarding expertise or know-how that can be provided by highly qualified diaspora members.

• A needs assessment is currently underway, with results expected after January 20. These findings will help prioritize areas where diaspora expertise is most needed.

• Existing online platforms with diaspora profiles lack organization by expertise or thematic areas.

• The Moldova4EU Diaspora Task Force has the potential to address this gap by systematically categorizing and organizing diaspora profiles according to thematic clusters.

Key Takeaways:

• The Task Force can play a pivotal role as a structured platform for connecting highly qualified diaspora members with institutions in Moldova.

• There is a need to reorganize the Task Force’s webpage to categorize profiles by thematic areas, making it easier for authorities to identify and connect with experts.

Meeting of the Task Force members with Mariana Meg-Țurcan, Advisor to the Prime-minister of Moldova, December 5, 2022 

The following conclusions were drawn from the discussion with Mariana:

1. Lack of Structured Mechanisms for Diaspora Engagement

   • Moldovan authorities currently lack concrete mechanisms to engage with highly skilled diaspora members and facilitate the transfer of know-how. However, there is growing interest from the authorities in addressing this issue.

2. Collaborative, Non-Pressure Approach

   • It is essential to avoid pressuring domestic institutions to systematically identify collaboration needs with the diaspora. Instead, the focus should be on offering support when there is openness or a specific request for assistance.

3. Pilot Projects for Effective Collaboration

   • Task Force members expressed their willingness to provide support and proposed piloting this approach with one or two institutions. These pilot projects would help accumulate valuable experience to understand how best practices could be replicated in other institutions.

Prior to this call, a discussion with Adrian Baluțel, State Secretary, took place which highlighted two emerging activity clusters for further development:

1. Cluster 1: Transfer of Know-How

   • This cluster focuses on creating a concrete mechanism to institutionalize the transfer of knowledge, experience, and expertise from diaspora members to Moldovan institutions. There is consensus on the need to formalize and materialize this idea, with details to be defined in collaboration with Adrian Baluțel.

2. Cluster 2: Advocacy for EU Integration

   • The Task Force has the potential to become a strong voice advocating for Moldova’s EU integration agenda in host countries. This involves organizing briefs, meetings, roundtables, and other advocacy events to showcase Moldova’s progress on EU integration and reforms. Adrian mentioned the possibility of donor support for diaspora-led advocacy initiatives.

Next Steps

• Discussions with Adrian Baluțel will continue, aiming for greater clarity on the next steps and actionable plans by the end of the year. These efforts will focus on defining mechanisms for know-how transfer and scaling advocacy initiatives to support Moldova’s EU aspirations.