CAPDR | ROMANIA – REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA: From Interregional Cooperation to a New Architecture of International Partnerships: The Moldova Regional Economic Forum Opens New Perspectives for Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia
Mesaje publice
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Trust. Loyalty. A Shared Vision. Perseverance. Unity of Action.
A Consolidated Foundation. An Expanded Perspective. A New Level of Cooperation.
Major development projects acquire strategic value when accumulated experience, institutional partnerships, and economic resources are directed towards objectives that extend beyond immediate borders and horizons.
Trust built over time lays the foundation for expansion. Continuity ensures the stability of relationships. Perseverance enables the consolidation of institutional and economic capacities. A shared vision transforms cooperation into a long-term development instrument.
After four years of interregional cooperation between Romania and the Republic of Moldova, the Centre for Regional Development Analysis and Planning (CAPDR) is preparing to move into a new phase: expanding economic and institutional cooperation towards Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
This perspective represents the natural continuation of the relationships developed during 2023–2026 and reflects the intention to leverage the geographical position, economic capacities, and international connections of the Romania–Republic of Moldova area.
From bilateral cooperation to interregional partnerships. From interregional partnerships to international connectivity. From connectivity to projects, investments, and converging economic interests.
This is the new strategic direction that CAPDR is proposing to its partners.
Moldova Regional Economic Forum – 20th Edition: Bucharest as a Convergence Point for New Partnerships
From 26 to 28 October 2026, at the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, the Moldova Regional Economic Forum – 20th Edition marks the transition towards this new stage of development.
The Forum provides a framework for convergence among public administrations, economic institutions, the diplomatic community, universities, professional organisations, companies, and investors interested in cooperation opportunities between Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and international partners.
The institutional experience accumulated provides CAPDR with the necessary foundation to propose a gradual expansion of dialogue towards new economic and investment decision-making centres.
Within this framework, Romania and the Republic of Moldova are viewed as an area of cooperation and connectivity linking the European Union, Eastern Europe, and international markets.
Bucharest becomes the place where the continuity of a regional undertaking meets the prospect of economic partnerships with international reach.
Through this edition, CAPDR aims to strengthen the Forum as a permanent instrument for dialogue, economic facilitation, and the preparation of projects of common interest.
Eastern Europe – Connectivity, Reconstruction, and Economic Integration
The first strategic direction concerns the expansion of cooperation in Eastern Europe by leveraging the geographical and economic connections between Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
The development of transport infrastructure, logistics corridors, energy networks, industrial capacities, and trade relations represents a set of areas of major importance for the region’s development.
With a view to Ukraine’s reconstruction, CAPDR seeks to identify opportunities for institutional and economic cooperation, in line with evolving security conditions and applicable European and international mechanisms.
The Chernivtsi and Odesa regions represent areas of interest within this framework, given their historical, cultural, and economic ties with Romania and the Republic of Moldova.
Regional cooperation can thus become part of broader initiatives focused on mobility, logistics, energy, investment, healthcare, education, and the development of economic capacities.
The Middle East – Capital, Investment, and Economic Complementarity
The second strategic direction concerns the development of relations with countries and economic centres in the Middle East.
The region offers opportunities for dialogue with institutional investors, investment funds, companies, and organisations interested in projects involving infrastructure, energy, agriculture, the food industry, real estate development, tourism, and medical services.
CAPDR aims to promote mechanisms that bring international investment capital closer to the economic opportunities identified in Romania and the Republic of Moldova.
Particular importance is attached to connecting the regional business community with partners capable of contributing to the development of sustainable projects based on mutual commercial interests and clearly defined contractual responsibilities.
Regional resources, entrepreneurial capacity, and investment capital can become complementary elements of sustainable economic partnerships.
This direction involves strengthening diplomatic and economic relations, preparing investment portfolios, and facilitating direct dialogue between project beneficiaries and potential partners.
Asia – Technology, Industry, Markets, and Long-Term Cooperation
The experience gained through relations developed within the China–Central and Eastern Europe format provides a reference point for identifying new projects in technology, industry, healthcare, education, research, logistics, and tourism.
In this context, CAPDR seeks to facilitate cooperation among universities, medical institutions, technology companies, economic organisations, and tourism operators.
Promoting Romanian and Moldovan destinations and products in Asian markets can be accompanied by the development of reciprocal tourism, trade, and investment flows.
An important dimension involves technology and expertise transfer, as well as the development of partnerships that support infrastructure modernisation and strengthen regional economic competitiveness.
International cooperation reaches its full potential when access to markets, investment, knowledge, and technology generate mutual benefits for all partners.
Brussels 2028–2034 – European Coordination and the Diversification of Development Instruments
CAPDR’s new international outlook is being developed in alignment with the European Union’s priorities and preparations for the future 2028–2034 multiannual financial framework.
Dialogue with European institutions in Brussels represents a strategic direction for aligning regional priorities with cohesion, connectivity, competitiveness, energy transition, digitalisation, and cross-border cooperation policies.
At the same time, CAPDR seeks to diversify the instruments through which regional projects can benefit from funding, expertise, and partnerships.
European funds, private investment, international capital, public-private partnerships, development finance institutions, and bilateral economic cooperation represent complementary mechanisms within the same strategic framework.
Through the Romania–Republic of Moldova Sustainable Interconnection Programme 2028–2034, currently in the development and planning phase, CAPDR intends to align project portfolios with funding and development opportunities available at European and international levels.
Within this approach, coordination with Brussels provides an essential component of European convergence, while the economic relations developed with partners in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia can broaden access to capital, technology, and markets.
A sound development strategy brings together multiple funding sources, different categories of partners, and a coherent set of economic objectives.
VIA MOLDAVIA – An Economic Instrument for a New Era of International Connectivity
The VIA MOLDAVIA International Fair, organised as part of the Moldova Regional Economic Forum – 20th Edition, represents one of the practical expressions of this strategic direction.
Through the development of the NORTH, CENTRAL, and SOUTH tourist routes in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, and by connecting destinations, mobility infrastructure, travel agencies, and the HoReCa industry, the programme creates the conditions for developing commercial relations with international reach.
The VIA MOLDAVIA digital platform will support this direction by organising information, promoting destinations, and facilitating access to regional tourism offers.
Looking ahead, cooperation with operators and partners from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia can contribute to the development of tourist circuits, cultural exchanges, and reciprocal commercial opportunities.
In this way, VIA MOLDAVIA becomes one of the instruments through which CAPDR’s institutional framework can generate economic value and international visibility.
Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR President: “We Have Built the Foundation. The Next Stage Is to Connect Regional Interests with Major International Economic Opportunities.”
“During 2023–2026, we invested in trust, institutional relations, economic cooperation, and the development of common mechanisms between Romania and the Republic of Moldova.
This experience provides the foundation for a new stage.
Today, we are looking towards a broader horizon, within which our region can develop economic and institutional relations with partners from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Our objective is to connect the economic capacities of Romania and the Republic of Moldova with new sources of capital, technology, markets, and international partnerships.
In view of the 2028–2034 European financial framework, we seek to strengthen dialogue with Brussels and align regional projects with the priorities of the European Union.
At the same time, we are developing direct relations with institutions, companies, investors, and economic organisations from other regions of the world, based on mutual interests and concrete cooperation opportunities.
This expansion reflects the maturity of our institutional framework.
Development requires vision, and vision needs the capacity to bring together resources and partners beyond geographical and administrative boundaries.
Romania and the Republic of Moldova have the opportunity to strengthen their economic and connectivity role between the European area and international markets.
Through the Moldova Regional Economic Forum – 20th Edition, we are bringing this perspective to Bucharest and inviting our partners to contribute to shaping the next stage.
Trust provided the foundation. Loyalty strengthened our relationships. Perseverance created continuity. Unity of action gives us the capacity to pursue objectives of greater ambition and scale.
We have built an institutional foundation. Now we are broadening the horizons of cooperation, diversifying partnerships, and preparing projects capable of connecting our region to major international economic flows.
This is the strategic direction we are proposing for the period ahead.”
Bucharest 2026 – The Beginning of a New Strategic Phase
The Moldova Regional Economic Forum – 20th Edition marks the continuation of an institutional undertaking and, at the same time, its opening towards new economic horizons.
Through European cooperation, interregional partnerships, international investment relations, and digital instruments, CAPDR seeks to strengthen a development mechanism that connects local resources with the opportunities of the global economy.
Four years of institution-building have laid the foundation. The years ahead will focus on expanding partnerships, preparing projects, and harnessing a new international dimension of cooperation.
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