Mission and objectives
The Republic of Moldova promotes a policy of international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance aimed at strengthening its role as a responsible and predictable actor at international level. In the context of the process of accession to the European Union, this policy is guided by a gradual and systematic process of alignment with the acquis of the European Union, including the principles and guidelines laid down in the European Consensus on Development.
In view of acquiring the status of a member state of the European Union, the Republic of Moldova progressively assumes the role of donor state of Official Development Assistance (ODA). To this end, the national authorities shall strengthen the regulatory, institutional and operational framework necessary to implement a coherent and effective policy in the field, in accordance with the standards and best practices of the European Union and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The national policy is based on the principles of development effectiveness, reflected in the international commitments undertaken, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the Accra Agenda for Action and the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation. These frameworks set clear benchmarks for partner states’ ownership, alignment of interventions with national priorities, donor coordination and orientation towards sustainable results.
At European level, development cooperation policy is linked to commitments on the volume of Official Development Assistance, including the objective of allocating 0.33% of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2030 to the new Member States, as well as the achievement of an indicative minimum threshold of 0.15% of GNI. These commitments reflect international solidarity and the shared responsibility of European states in support of sustainable global development.
Official Development Assistance (ODA)
Official Development Assistance (ODA) is the set of financial, technical and material resources provided by developed countries and international institutions to developing countries with the primary aim of supporting their economic and social development and improving the living conditions of the population. ODA is provided in the form of grants, concessional loans, technical assistance, humanitarian aid or institutional capacity building support.
A key element of ODA is its non-commercial character, with aid provided on favourable terms, with the aim of promoting sustainable development and reducing poverty, and not profit. This type of assistance supports states affected by extreme poverty, armed conflict, natural disasters or humanitarian crises, contributing to long-term stability and progress.
In international development cooperation, ODA is an essential tool for the international community to express solidarity and shared responsibility for equitable global development.
The concept of ODA is defined and promoted by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD/DAC), which has set out it as a ‘golden standard’ of external aid since 1969. According to the OECD/DAC methodology, for an activity to be classified as ODA, it must meet all of the following conditions: the funding should come from public sources, the main objective should be to promote the economic development and well-being of the beneficiary countries, and the assistance should be of a significant concessional nature.
The OECD currently remains the main provider of official, comparable and exhaustive statistics on ODA flows, widely used by governments, multilateral organisations and civil society.
Humanitarian assistance
Humanitarian assistance shall be provided in accordance with the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence, and shall be provided without discrimination on grounds of nationality, religion, gender, ethnicity or political affiliation. The main objective is to protect the life, health and dignity of people affected by humanitarian crises.
It covers the provision of essential goods and material assistance, the mobilisation of human and financial resources, and the conduct of disaster response operations. Humanitarian assistance also contributes to strengthening the prevention and response capacity of authorities and organisations involved in emergency management.
In the case of interventions involving the distribution of essential goods or the conduct of field operations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall cooperate with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, through the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations and its subordinate structures, in accordance with the applicable national legislation and European standards.
Through the humanitarian assistance component, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports international organisations, public institutions and civil society organisations involved in interventions in states or regions affected by humanitarian crises. The procedures for the delivery of assistance are governed by the Regulation on the delivery mechanism for international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the United Nations in 2015, constitutes the global framework for action to promote economically, socially and environmentally balanced development. It comprises 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim, inter alia, to eradicate poverty, eliminate hunger, ensure access to quality education and health, reduce inequalities, protect the environment and combat climate change.
In the context of international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance, the 2030 Agenda provides a common reference framework for states, international organisations, civil society and the private sector. The objectives are universal, applicable to all states, but put particular emphasis on supporting vulnerable and developing countries.
Official Development Assistance (ODA) is a key instrument for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, as it provides the necessary resources for financing development programmes, humanitarian crisis prevention and post-conflict reconstruction. By linking ODA to the priorities set by the 2030 Agenda, international cooperation contributes to building a fairer, safer and more sustainable world for present and future generations.
Total Official Support for Sustainable Development
Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) is an international standard developed to reflect in a more comprehensive way the public contributions mobilised in support of sustainable development. Recognized by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations, the TOSSD framework provides a unified methodology for reporting public resources allocated to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set out in the 2030 Agenda.
Law No. 149 of 19-06-2025 on International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance.
The national legal framework for financing for development, in the context of national international development cooperation policy, is established by Law No 149 of 19-06-2025 on international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance . The law defines the legal, institutional and programmatic framework related to the field, regulating international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance activities financed from the state budget of the Republic of Moldova, as well as strategic planning, financing, implementation, monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
The law transposes and reflects the recommendations made in the European Union Enlargement Reports for the Republic of Moldova (2023–2025) and is aligned with the principles and policies of the European Union, with the global framework established by the United Nations through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as with the standards and best practices of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
In view of the accession to the European Union, the Republic of Moldova is to assume the status of donor state of Official Development Assistance (ODA). In this context, strengthening the legislative and institutional framework is an essential condition for complying with European commitments and for developing a well-functioning, coherent and compatible national system of international development cooperation with the mechanisms of the European Union.
The development of the legal framework was coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the basis of the commitments undertaken by the Republic of Moldova in the process of alignment with the EU acquis, in particular under Chapter 30 ‘External Relations’, humanitarian assistance component. The law was developed following the explanatory and bilateral screening process conducted with the European Commission in the framework of accession negotiations.
Regulation on the implementation mechanism for international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance activities
The purpose of the Regulation on the implementation mechanism for international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance activities activities is to establish a uniform legal, institutional and procedural framework for the planning, financing, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of national policy activities in the field of international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance, in accordance with the provisions of Law No 149/2025.
The document aims to strengthen the institutional and financial mechanisms necessary for the efficient management of the allocated resources, based on the principles of transparency, efficiency, accountability and sound financial management. In this respect, the Regulation defines a coherent operational mechanism for the use of funds for international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance, ensuring the correlation of interventions with national development priorities, as well as with the international commitments undertaken by the Republic of Moldova.
Regulation on the organisation and functioning of the Consultative Committee on international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance
The Regulation on the organisation and functioning of the Consultative Committee on international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance shall establish its institutional framework, duties, composition, organisation and operating procedures, in accordance with the provisions of Law No 149/2025 on international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
The Consultative Committee is a collegiate body without legal personality, operating under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It has an advisory role in supporting the decision-making process, helping to ensure coherence and unity in the strategic planning of national policy in the field.
In exercising its mandate, the Consultative Committee shall facilitate inter-institutional and participatory coordination, including by formulating, as a rule by consensus, the geographical and thematic priorities of the international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance policy of the Republic of Moldova.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the central public authority responsible for coordinating the national policy of international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance of the Republic of Moldova, in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 149/2025. In exercising this mandate, the Ministry ensures the achievement of the strategic objectives and the fulfilment of the international commitments undertaken by the Republic of Moldova in the field, coordinates the national mechanism for planning and implementing development cooperation and humanitarian assistance activities, concludes financing agreements with the beneficiaries of the programs and annually submits to the Government reports on the use of financial means and the results obtained, in cooperation with the competent public authorities.
The Consultative Committee
The Consultative Committee on international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance is a collegiate body, without legal personality, attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with an advisory role in the process of developing, coordinating and monitoring the national policy in the field. The Committee operates under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has the main objective of ensuring the coherence and unity of strategic planning, as well as formulating, usually by consensus, the geographical and thematic priorities of the national policy in the field.
The organisation and functioning of the Consultative Committee are regulated in accordance with the provisions of Law No 149/2025 and lays down the tasks, working procedures, the manner in which meetings are convened and held, the mechanisms for adopting opinions and recommendations, as well as the rules on transparency of work.
The Advisory Committee shall be set up by order of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who shall approve both the institutional and nominal composition. It shall include representatives of the relevant central public authorities, relevant institutions, as well as, where appropriate, representatives of civil society, academia and independent experts, selected on the basis of relevant professional competence and experience. The composition may be updated whenever necessary to ensure representativeness and efficiency of the consultation process.
Section for International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance
The International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance Section is the specialised structural subdivision within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for the operational coordination and implementation of national policy in the field of international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
In the exercise of its tasks, SCIDAU ensures the development of strategic and operational tools in the field, manages the planning, financing, monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes of CIDAU activities, ensures inter-institutional coordination and maintains dialogue with public institutions, international organisations and other relevant partners, facilitates the functioning of advisory and coordination mechanisms in the field.
At the same time, the section contributes to the alignment of national policy with European Union standards and good practices of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (OECD/DAC), as well as to the strengthening of institutional capacities in the field of development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
Transparency is a fundamental principle of national international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance policy and is essential for the responsible, efficient and verifiable use of public funds. In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall ensure public access to relevant information on the planning, allocation and implementation of funded activities, including through the regular publication of data on programmes and projects, beneficiaries and results.
Selection and funding processes are transparent, open and competitive, and monitoring, evaluation and reporting mechanisms contribute to strengthening institutional accountability and increasing public trust.
At the same time, the application of international transparency standards, including the principles of open data and interoperability (such as the IATI standard), supports the visibility, comparability and credibility of the Republic of Moldova as an emerging actor in development cooperation.
In a spirit of commitment to transparency, information on relevant institutional interactions, including meetings with stakeholders’ representatives, shall be managed in accordance with good European practices of openness and decision-making responsibility. Data of public interest shall be made available in an accessible and regularly updated manner.
For further information, clarifications or requests, interested persons may contact the Section for International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance through the contact details available on the official page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.