The Steering Committee of MCA Moldova (SC) approved the Compact implementation action plan and its budget amounting to about 113 million USD for 2014.
A significant part of this amount - around 60 mil. USD - will be used to complete the construction works on the 93 km Sărăteni-Soroca road segment. About 38 million USD will be used to rehabilitate irrigation systems, as the construction works at the Criuleni and Lopatna irrigation systems will be resumed and the construction works at other eight irrigation systems are expected to start this spring. The approved budget covers funds for the Post-Harvest Credit Facility, Irrigation Sector Reform Activity, Compact monitoring and evaluation and other components.
Valentina Badrajan, the executive director of MCA Moldova, reported to the SC that about 60% of the estimated rehabilitation works on the Sărăteni – Soroca road – the major works - have been already carried out. The construction works left to be done, including the rehabilitation of local roads to facilitate the access to social facilities, such as schools, hospitals etc. are expected to be completed by July 2014.
As for the Criuleni and Lopatna irrigation systems the rehabilitation of which has already started, 38% of the works have already been carried out. According to the contract the two systems shall be put into operation in the autumn of 2014.
Mrs. Badrajan also reported on the status of the Post-Harvest Credit Facility. The loans disbursed so far amount to about 4.7 million USD that have generated 10.8 million USD as additional investments. Most of these loans have been invested in the construction of cold storage rooms for fruits and vegetables with a total capacity of 19 thousand tons. In 2014 MCA Moldova will continue providing Compact loans for the development of the post-harvest infrastructure and high-value agriculture.
After Mrs. Badrajan reported on the performance of MCA Moldova in 2013 and its 2014 work plan the Steering Committee approved the report on the implementation of the anti-fraud and corruption action plan for the period of July-December 2013.
She stressed that MCA Moldova took a number of actions to prevent any fraud and corruption risks in the reported period, such as meddling in the decision-making; consult Compact beneficiaries; encourage the public to report any suspicion of fraud and corruption; ensure the independent verification of the quality of the materials used to rehabilitate roads and irrigation systems etc. According to the executive director of MCA Moldova, the latter did its best to prevent any risks of fraud and corruption in the procurement process by ensuring its transparency, involving independent experts in bid evaluation etc.
Leslie McCuaig, MCC country resident director, said that the efforts to prevent fraud and corruption should be scaled up as the Compact enters a critical stage when the construction works are in full swing.
Victor Bodiu, Secretary General of the Government, who chaired the meeting of the Steering Committee, assured, in turn, of the Government support for the successful and timely implementation of all the Compact activities.
The USD mil. 262 Compact is a 5-year US Government program (2010-2015) that aims to increase the incomes of the Moldovan people by developing road infrastructure, rehabilitating irrigation systems and encouraging the transition to the high-value agriculture.
