On 18-19 May 2017, Ministry of Regional Development and Construction and North Regional Development Agency supported by the ‚Modernization of Local Public Services in the Republic of Moldova’ (MLPS) project organised a workshop on ‚Strengthening the role of North Regional Development Council in regional development processes’. The goal of the event was to discuss and agree on the support modalities to strengthen the role of North Regional Development Council (North RDC) by institutionalising regional sector commissions.
The event was opened by Ion Bodrug, Director of North Regional Development Agency who thanked all participants for their presence and interest, expressing the belief that the workshop will be useful for everybody. ‘This kind of meetings can serve as efficient platforms to discuss challenges faced in regional development field’, mentioned North RDA director.
The President of North Regional Development Council, Ion Leuca expressed his satisfaction with the organising of this workshop and appreciated the effort made by Ministry of Regional Development and Construction and North Regional Development Agency, as well as development partners in this respect.
Anatol Usatii, Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Construction: ‘The role of Regional Development Councils is to increase in the future and that is, not just a desire, but a fact stipulated in the new Law on regional development. I am glad to see so many participants, as the voice of the regions has to be more distinct’.
Philipp Johannsen, GIZ Director and MLPS project manager: ‘The donors of the project are interested in increasing transparency, especially with regard to using funds. I believe, that Regional Development Councils have to first of all express the interests of citizens. This event is a perfect platform to ensure communication with the region and promote transparency in managing public funds’.
Every participant at the event had the possibility to express expectations from this workshop, as growing interest was shown in the role of Regional Sector Commissions and benefit of citizens as a result of setting up these commisions.
North RDC limited possibilities in decision making, low level of involvement and lack of motivation in participation, scarcity of financial resources for capacity development, insufficient cooperation of the Council with central and local level institutions are just some of the factors periodically revealed by North RDC members. In this context, the intention is to create and strengthen within North RDC a platform for sector governance. These structures, once set up in the form of Regional Sector Commissions and working groups will discuss draft decisions, developing at the same time reccommendations on these decisions to be further presented at North RDC meetings. The future structures’ tasks will include consideration and approval of regional development priorities, promotion of regional projects among donors and investors, examination with support of independent specialised experts of project pipeline, different studies, analyses and reccommendations for shaping a regional vision on developing certain sector.
The workshop is composed of several sessions based on active involvement of North RDC members in discussions regarding conceptualisation of Regional Sector Commissions and their functional aspects. In the next period, one of the main results in this respect will be the preliminary selection of members of these Commissions.
North RDC is a regional deliberative structure, has no legal presonality and is established to develop, coordinate and monitor regional development policies at the level of North Development Region Region with Balti municipality and Briceni, Donduseni, Drochia, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Ocnita, Rascani, Sangerei, Soroca rayons in its composition. North RDC has 48 members and consists of component rayons presidents, mayor of Balti and a representative of mayors association, civil society and private sector from each rayon and municipality of North Development Region. North RDC members fulfill their tasks free of charge.
The project ‘Modernization of Local Public Services in the Republic of Moldova’ (MLPS) is implemented by the German Development Cooperation through GIZ and is financially supported by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Swedish Government, the Romanian Government, the European Union and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
