A delegation from the Northern Region participated in the East Baltic International Business Forum in Daugavpils, Latvia

A delegation of the containing a total of 20 representatives of Northern Development Region (NDR) of Moldova participated in the third edition of the East Baltic International Business Forum which took place on the 16th and 17th of May in the city of Daugavpils, Latvia. The forum delegates from seven participating countries were: Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Belarus and Russia.

Our delegation was headed by the Director of the North Regional Development Agency (RDA North), Ion Bodrug, as well as departmental heads of the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction ADR specialists from North, local government officials, representatives of businesses, NGOs and the media.

Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Romans Naudiņš, said in his welcome message that the organization of such investment forum in Daugavpils, the second largest city of Latvia, where about 100 000 people, is an event important for Latvia and for countries participating in the event.

City Council representatives have stressed that city of Daugavpils is a gateway to the European Union and this opportunity can be very useful. The most important projects in this regard are the development of the airport and local tourism.

In the investment forum, RDA North Director, Ion Bodrug talked about investment projects carried out by RDA North, as well as socio-economic climate of the NDR. „The Forum is an attractive platform for cooperation city of Daugavpils. Our delegation participation at this prestigious international event will allow us to capitalize further our cooperation with partners in Latvia and will enable us to identify new collaborative links”, says director Ion Bodrug that the experience of EU member states had representatives will help our country to follow shorter path alignment European development policies.

Moldovan participants presented during the forum promotional materials about the economic profile of the institutions they represented and established collaborative links with representatives of States participating in the event.

East-Baltic International Forum of Business is organized City Council of Daugavpils in collaboration with the Embassy of Poland in Riga, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM) Latvian Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Latvia.

The Moldovan delegation was in Latvia in May 13-20 and participate in a series of visits to companies, factories, factories and businesses in municipalities Aloja, Gulbene, Krāslava and cities Valmiera, city of Daugavpils, Rēzekne, and in some villages in the eastern region of Latvia.

Collaboration between North RDA and VARAM

The invitation to study visit to Latvia was within the context of close collaboration on regional development of RDA North and VARAM. With a number of mutual visits made ​​in recent years, VARAM was actively involved in the development of Socio-Economic Development Strategy of NDR,, the International Conference entitled „Opportunities for socio-economic development of NDR, 2020”. Also in October 2013, representatives attended the first edition of Days of the NDR event which concluded with the signing of a partnership agreement between the City Hall Corjeuţi district Briceni and Aloja municipality of Latvia.

Recently, Varam invited a group of specialists from the RDA North to attend a training course for specialists in regional planning and local authorities, held in the French capital, Paris.

Also, recall that in November 2010, RDA North signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Agency for Regional Development of Latvia. The memorandum was signed for the development of bilateral relations and cooperation between the NDR and Latvia.