UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2027)
UNECE is a signatory of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and contributes in particular to the following strategic priorities:
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Outcome 1.1: By 2027, institutions deliver human rights-based, evidence-informed and gender-responsive services for all, with the focus on those who are left behind.
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Outcome 2.1. By 2027, more accountable and transparent human rights-based and gender-responsive governance empowers all people of Moldova to participate in and to contribute to development processes. 
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Outcome 3.1: By 2027, all people of Moldova, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from inclusive, competitive and sustainable economic development and equal access to decent work and productive employment. 
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Outcome 4.1: By 2027, institutions and all people of Moldova benefit from and contribute to green and resilient development, sustainable use of natural resources and effective gender-responsive climate change action and disaster risk management.
UNECE works in close cooperation with the Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Country Team.
Key highlights
Energy
UNECE is focused on providing continuous support to the Republic of Moldova improve energy efficiency and increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix and in promoting green transformation and resilient energy systems. To that end, UNECE has developed nationally customized Guidelines and Best Practices for MSMEs in Moldova in delivering energy efficient products and in providing renewable energy equipment, as well as recommendations on possible flexibility options identified to increase system security and resiliency, and to foster the development of renewable energy (SDG7).
UNECE also completed a national study with detailed gap analysis between the performance objectives of the Framework Guidelines for Energy Efficiency Standards in Buildings and implementation of current building energy efficiency standards (SDG7 and SDG11).
The 2023 study Guide for the implementation of energy efficiency measures and valorization of renewable energy sources for public sector buildings aims to support the efforts of the Government to improve energy efficiency and increase share of renewable energy resources in the country in response to the energy crisis.
Furthermore, project “Enhancing the implementation of the UNECE tools for promoting green transformation and resilient energy systems in the Republic of Moldova” aims to strengthen the capacity of governmental authorities to effectively implement UNECE instruments in energy and transportation sectors through scenario building and foresight planning (SDG7, SDG9, SDG11 and SDG13).
Environment
The Republic of Moldova is a Party to the 5 UNECE environmental conventions and several of their protocols.
In August 2024, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have signed an agreement on the implementation of the Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact_Assessment Transboundary Context, under which they commit to take all necessary measures to prevent, reduce and minimize potential transboundary environmental impacts.
UNECE has been supporting the country in developing emission reduction commitments and emission projections that are a prerequisite for the ratification of the Gothenburg Protocol. UNECE stands ready to continue supporting the country in the development of its national PRTR and the modernization of its environmental information system (SDG 3 and SDG13).
UNECE also stands ready to support the country in establishing National Policy Dialogues (NPD) for Industrial Safety (SDG3, SDG11 and SDG13).
The country is a beneficiary of project “Evidence-based environmental governance and sustainable environmental policies in support of the 2030 Agenda in South-East Europe”.
The review mission for the 4th Environmental Performance Review of the Republic of Moldova is planned for late 2024.
Forests
As it has one of the lowest forest covers in Europe - about 11.2% - UNECE has assisted the Republic of Moldova to draft a feasibility study to determine the success of the country’s National Afforestation and Reforestation Programme for 2023-2032. The study focuses on the sector of forest reproductive material (SDG12, SDG13 and SDG15).
The Republic of Moldova contributed to the recently released study on Forest Landscape Restoration in Eastern and South-East Europe, while the city of Chisinau participates in the UNECE Trees in Cities Challenge.
Gender equality
The standards body of Moldova has signed the Declaration on Gender-Responsive Standards and Standards Development (SDG5, SDG9 and SDG12).
UNECE is also supporting women’s economic empowerment through action-oriented recommendations, aimed at bolstering end-to-end supply chain operations of female-owned enterprises (SDG5 and SDG8).
Population
In 2022, UNECE conducted a 10-year evaluation of the implementation of the roadmap for mainstreaming ageing. This will inform the development of a new programme on ageing, currently under preparation (SDG3 and SDG11).
Statistics
UNECE and the National Bureau of Statistics have been actively identifying and implementing priority actions for a new strategy for the development of official statistics to 2030, including carrying out two sector reviews in February 2023 (SDG3 and SDG11).
A Global Assessment of the National Statistical System in Moldova, published by UNECE, Eurostat and EFTA, provides an assessment of the level of conformity with European statistical standards and recommendations.
Trade
UNECE is working to strengthen the national capacity to implement regulatory and procedural trade policies to increase the contribution of trade to a stronger and more resilient economy. This includes supporting efforts to digitalize information exchange along multimodal transport corridors (SDG8 and SDG9).
The Republic of Moldova is a pilot country of the UNECE technical assistance activities in the circular economy under project “Accelerating the transition to a circular economy in the UNECE region” . There is an opportunity for the Republic of Moldova to accelerate circular economy transition by active participation in the Circular STEP stakeholder engagement platform to exchange experience, challenges and learn about good practices and tools for circular economy transition (SDG8, SDG9 and SDG12).
Under project “Global Initiative towards post-Covid-19 resurgence of the MSME sector”, UNECE is supporting women’s economic empowerment, namely by bolstering ended-to-end supply chain operations of female-owned enterprises (SDG5 and SDG8).
Transport
The Republic of Moldova has acceded to 26 United Nations legal instruments on inland transport (SDG9 and SDG11).
The recommendations from the most recent Road Safety Performance Review will inform the country’s road safety strategy (SDG3 and SDG11).