Cristina Chiriac, CONAF: “Improving the legislative framework and supporting private initiative open up new opportunities in the Republic of Moldova”

Digitalization, entrepreneurship education, bilateral relations between the Romanian and Moldovian business environment and academic cooperation were among the topics addressed in Chisinau, during the Economic Forum “Opportunities to invest in the Republic of Moldova and Romania“, organized in Chisinau, where the delegation of the National Confederation for Female Entrepreneurship – CONAF, led by President Cristina Chiriac.

The event in Chisinau was organized at the initiative of Digital Park and StarNet – the only digital hub in the Republic of Moldova, an investment amounting to 50 million euros, generating formulas for developing business partnerships and encouraging technology transfer from academia to business. CONAF’s economic mission in the Republic of Moldova focused on a series of bilateral meetings with representatives of the business environment, the associative environment, academia and the official meeting with the Romanian Ambassador to Chisinau, Daniel Ioniță.

“The development of bilateral relations and the support of entrepreneurship are essential for the economic development of a state. I believe that together we can achieve successful projects: the example of academic collaboration between Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj and Digital Park in Chisinau, the one between CONAF and AFAM – Association of Women Entrepreneurs from Moldova; the balance between the business and academic environment in the two countries is the main catalyst for fruitful bilateral relations. However, in order to scale such initiatives, it is necessary to improve the legislative framework, so as to encourage investors’ access to the Moldovan market, to support the private initiative willing to invest and to open new horizons of collaboration. I hope that this Forum will be the beginning of a lasting collaboration, to stimulate the economic diversity between the two countries and to come to the aid of Romanian investors eager to expand their business in the Republic of Moldova “, said CONAF’s President Cristina Chiriac.

In his turn, Radu Magdin, CONAF Ambassador for the intensification of external relations, spoke about the cooperation and communication between the two states, essential elements that can lead to economic progress. “Creativity is the most important competitive advantage that the Republic of Moldova has in the current international context. Now, when everything in the world is rethinking, I believe that through cooperation, efficient communication and taking advantage of opportunities, the Republic of Moldova can reposition itself on the world map “, concluded Magdin.

“I wholeheartedly support the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two states: Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Over time, we have managed to implement successful projects and this gives us confidence and hope that the exchange of experience and cooperation on initiatives of common interest will contribute to creating added value for both states, “said Liliana Agheorghicesei, President Employers of Business Women from SME Suceava.

Also, within the economic mission, CONAF together with AFAM strengthened their partnership in order to develop sustainable projects to support women in business, entrepreneurship education and digitalization. The need to support and promote women who have succeeded in business so that they become benchmarks of good practice are essential to stimulate the community of women entrepreneurs in Moldova, and the role of the partnership between the two bodies is to promote gender equality and women to assert themselves in society, through common plans and actions.

Entrepreneurial education and digitalisation are key factors in managing and developing the business and promoting gender equality. “One of our major objectives is to support entrepreneurship education in primary and secondary education by creating a unique study concept, standardizing and improving the curriculum, involving professionals who will participate as mentors and present case studies and examples practice.

CONAF has already initiated the implementation in Romania of the “Pact for Entrepreneurial Education” and we believe that their practice and experience will give us a good start to implement entrepreneurship education in the Republic of Moldova ” said Angela Gladei, President of AFAM – Association of Women Entrepreneurs from Moldova.

The CONAF delegation consisted of representatives of the beauty, IT, tourism, education, consulting, energy, chemical and food industries from Suceava, Bacău, Botoșani, Cluj, Brașov, Iași, Mureș and Bucharest counties.