UK to grant Moldova 4.5 million pounds to back social assistance
Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat and British Ambassador to Moldova Keith Shannon today signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) and Moldova's government. The document sees budget support for the Moldovan social assistance sector, the government's press service has said.
Under the memorandum, Moldova's government benefits from a 4.5-million-pound grant, due to be used to pay compensations to less well-off people for the recently increased energy tariffs and implement a new social assistance system.
In a statement made after the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Vlad Filat said that Moldova's government is to carry out a string of measures meant to improve the social assistance system, among which the adoption of a national action plan on human rights and a new law on domestic public financial control.
"The government will use this support to extend the social assistance system in order to include a larger number of citizens. Thus, we commit to create a long-term and inclusive system of ensuring people's well-being, depending on their real needs," the prime minister said.
Vlad Filat thanked the UK Government and the DFID team for assisting the reform of the social protection system.
"I want to thank our development partners personally and on behalf of Moldova's government, especially Ambassador Keith Shannon and the DFID team for the prompt reaction to the Moldovan government's request, for the assistance and support given to implement development programmes and reforms in Moldova," Vlad Filat said.
Ambassador Keith Shannon said that the goal of the Department for International Development is to provide support to establish a safe social assistance system in Moldova.
"The grant will be given in two instalments. The first instalment of 3.5 million pounds will be immediately disbursed, and the second one amounting to one million pounds will be supplied after a DFID mission assesses the fulfilment of the conditions of this Memorandum," Keith Shannon said.
Moldpres (State news agency, Republic of Moldova)
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