On October 16, Cahul authorities met a large German delegation that visited Cahul to discuss with local authorities the results of projects carried out in Cahul and the future projects, funded by the German government.

On October 16, Cahul authorities met a large German delegation that visited Cahul to discuss with local authorities the results of projects carried out in Cahul and the future projects, funded by the German government.

The delegation was made up of representatives of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, German Development Cooperation through GIZ and the German Embassy in Chisinau.

So far, the German Government investments in Cahul targeted the Modernization of Local Public Services in Moldova project, implemented by GIZ. The funds are allocated for the recovery of Cahul water supply and sanitation system, as well as subsequent regionalization of the service.

The discussions focused on projects targeting water supply and sanitation in Cahul rayon. Asked to describe the current situation in the rayon in this regard, Avram Micinschi, the president of Cahul rayon, said that the South faced an acute shortage of drinking water, but that attempts were made to improve this situation. The president of the rayon informed the participants about the existence of a Water Supply and Sanitation Strategy for Cahul rayon, developed in 2012 with the support of South RDA and GIZ. „Your investment for “Apa-Canal” Cahul will allow us to further implement this strategic project that we have proposed,” said Micinschi.

Germans, Pleasantly Surprised of the People in the South

The Germans were pleasantly surprised finding well determined people in the Southern region of the country. According to the strategic plan for water supply and sanitation in the rayon, six clusters have been identified that would allow implementation of real projects for construction of water and sewerage pipe networks in villages in the coming years. There has even been a feasibility study completed, which confirms the viability of the local water supply and sewerage network, which is also built with GIZ support and cost about two million lei.

The German counterparts have found out that the list of priorities of local administration includes the objective to launch works in D cluster “Cahul-Gavanoasa”, which included 8 localities, with a population of over 12 thousand inhabitants.  This project costs around 82 million lei, but these are villages the improvement of the situation of which cannot be delayed. Cahul authorities gave the investors a guarantee that the project had already been subject to expertise and checked. There are perspectives that even Gagauzia can be connected through this cluster to the regional water supply and sanitation service of Cahul.

Regionalization of Services, a Solution that Many People Are Waiting For

Annette Seidel, director of the department of the Ministry of Economic Development of Germany, specializing in Eastern Europe and South Caucasus, said they had come to Cahul after an intense round of intergovernmental negotiations between the governments of the two countries. The negotiations were completed on October 15 and within them, new project ideas were addressed, including on regional development.

The German official says the counterparts also discussed about the areas where these projects might be carried out, with Cahul targeted as one of the three regions taken into consideration. „I am glad that the German money was properly invested so far in Cahul. We have many other initiatives in the field of water supply and wastewater treatment even for the coming years”, said Seidel.

Peter Burlacu, Mayor of Cahul, informed the German delegation: „On Monday, October 14, the City Council of Cahul adopted the decision on the tariffs for services for the neighboring localities. This is the first step for regionalization; subsequently we will get a single tariff for the residents of the rayon”. The mayor of Cahul sees the regionalization process as a rather difficult one, but not impossible.

The German delegation visited the premises of “Apa-Canal” Cahul, where it got familiar with the achievements from German investments, and ended the visit in Cahul, going to Rosu locality, where the pilot project “Water Supply and Sanitation Services for the Residents of Rosu Village” is implemented with GIZ support.