The European Commission and the United Nations Development Program announced today the selection of 18 communities in Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova as part of the grant program to support the recovery of local economies and communities affected by the war.
In the Republic of Moldova, five localities will benefit from grants totaling 355,000 euros: Carpineni, Volintiri, Copceac, Cimișlia and Drochia. They will use the means allocated by the EU for the improvement of local infrastructure and the socio-economic integration of refugees from Ukraine settled in these localities. The initiatives will be implemented in 2023.
The grants are offered as part of the “Mayors for Economic Growth” initiative, launched to support localities hosting refugees from Ukraine. The grants awarded in the crisis response and immediate recovery category are 30,000-50,000 euros (no co-financing is required), and in the crisis recovery and anticipation category – 70,000-100,000 euros (at least 20% co-financing is required).
“Communities selected will benefit from improved availability and access to basic services such as education, health, water and sanitation for all residents, including refugees from Ukraine, as well as improved food and energy security. The grant program will contribute to increasing the resilience of communities to the impact of the multidimensional crisis and to the socio-economic inclusion of refugees and the social cohesion of host communities”, – Andrea Cuzyova said.
The “Mayors for Economic Growth” initiative, the second stage (2021-2024), aims at inclusive economic growth and job creation by supporting local authorities in Eastern Partnership countries.