For the past year, PACE Local: Local Public Administration and Citizen Engagement, a project implemented by SALAR International, has been working alongside local public authorities, central government institutions, development partners, and communities to build a stronger, more modern, and more citizen-oriented local administration. During this first year, we laid the foundations for strong partnerships supporting local public administration reform and the more active involvement of communities in the Republic of Moldova’s European integration process.
Together, we have:
- Contributed to strengthening dialogue between central and local public administration, in partnership with the State Chancellery and the Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova (CALM);
- Established and supported the Network of Local Ambassadors for European Integration, a platform through which around 100 mayors and municipal specialists are making their voices heard in reform processes and preparing to transform European standards into tangible results for their communities;
- Expanded support for localities engaged in voluntary amalgamation, enabling more than 120 localities, represented by 62 municipalities, to benefit from technical assistance, mentoring, and support for the modernization of public services;
- Facilitated training sessions and policy dialogues on the digitalization of public services, the responsible use of artificial intelligence, energy efficiency, sanitation, access to European funding, and the preparedness of local public authorities for the requirements of the European Union accession process;
- Contributed to creating new opportunities for European cooperation for local communities, including by supporting the legislative framework that will enable local public authorities to participate in European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs);
- Supported the exchange of experience and direct dialogue with European institutions, including through study and learning activities in Brussels.
These achievements are only the beginning. Real change happens when institutions, communities, and people work together with trust, professionalism, and a shared vision for the future.
We thank the Government of Sweden, through Sida, for its trust and continued support. We also thank the State Chancellery, the Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova (CALM), central public institutions, local authorities, experts, partners, and everyone who contributes, day by day, to building stronger communities that are better prepared for the European future of the Republic of Moldova.
We continue this journey together.
