In a move to help the Republic of Moldova in eastern Europe cope with the impact of the war in neighboring Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled an additional international aid package totaling more than 100 million euros.
In response to the effects of the military action in Kyiv, Macron stated on Twitter that this assistance is being provided to meet the immediate needs of Moldova and its people.
On November 21, France hosted the third donor conference for Moldova, during which the country received a commitment of €100 million, bne IntelliNews reports.
The meeting was organized to aid Moldova, one of the most impoverished nations in Europe that has been heavily impacted by both the energy crisis in addition to the war in Ukraine. Natalia Gavrilita, the prime minister of the nation, asserted that it is still too early to determine whether this is additional money and, if so, how it would be used.
The majority of the €100 million pledged by Macron will come in the form of a €90 million loan issued by the French Development Agency for the years 2023–2024.
By the end of 2022, €10 million will be delivered as part of a subsidy from UNICEF, the World Food Program, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to help refugees pay for expenses, food, bills, and education. Currently, approximately 80,000 Ukrainian refugees reside in Moldova.
According to Radio France International, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will mobilize €2 million to promote public reforms, particularly in the energy sector.
Before the donor meeting, Germany raised its pledge to Moldova by €32.3 million, with the majority of the funds going toward improving the buildings’ efficiency. A €16 million aid package for Moldova was also announced by Sweden.
Approximately €622 million has been given to the government of Moldova this year, of which €480 million is in the form of soft loans intended to cover the budget deficit.
Last week, while the Russian military bombarded targets in Ukraine’s infrastructure, widespread blackouts momentarily affected more than a half-dozen cities throughout Moldova.
Following Russia’s halving of Moldova’s natural gas supply earlier in November, the European Union promised to provide 250 million euros (about $260 million) in aid, The Associated Press reported.
Moldova, which depends heavily on Russian energy supplies, is having greater problems now that winter has arrived and Moscow has reduced natural gas supplies by approximately 40%, making it harder for it to provide enough electricity to its population, Reuters reported.