Under the guidance of UN the government of Moldova since 2017 has started the process of adaptation of 2030 Agenda and nationalisation of sustainable development goals, integrating SDGs in the national strategic planning framework, identification of relevant and priority targets for Moldova, as well as adjusting the targets in order to better meet the domestic peculiarities.
National Coordination Council for Sustainable Development[1] is the main platform for high level coordination and monitoring of the adaptation and integration of SDGs in national policies. The Council is made up of Government members, representatives, of State Chancellery, of academia and of associative sector, being chaired by the Prime Minister. Sectoral groups, established in the public authorities involved in strategic planning, operate under the Council.
The National Development Strategy "Moldova 2030"[2] adopted in 2018 has a major importance for the nationalisation of Sustainable Development Goals because it presents the vision and sets the long term development priorities that will serve as basis for all inter-sectoral and sectoral policy documents. The document envisages four basic pillars:
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Sustainable and inclusive economy;
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Strong human and social capital;
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Fair and efficient institutions;
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Healthy environment.
For the development of these areas, 10 sustainable development objectives at national level have been set up by 2030, including guaranteeing quality education, ensuring effective governance, increasing people's access to infrastructure and improving working conditions.
At the same time Moldova has stated the process elaborating smart specialisation framework and identifying research and innovation priority domains having the highest potential to support economic transformation and increasing competitiveness of national economy. In 2018 under coordination of Ministry of Education, Culture, and Research (MECR) smart specialisation has been embedded in National Programme for Research and Innovation for 2020-2023 and Government’s Action Plan for 2020-2023.
Programme for Research and Innovation for 2020-2023 envisages identifying smart specialisation niches of Moldova to promote research impact on economy and society. The programme also refers to ‘Moldova 2030’ and the importance of the research and innovation activities in achieving SDGs in the three main areas – economy, society and environment. Among the specific objectives the programme envisages approving strategic priorities of research and innovation according to smart specialisation identified and achieving SGDs through research and innovation projects. This is the first attempt of interlinking SDGs with smart specialisation in Moldova, which will be further reinforced connecting smart specialisation to the goals of ‘Moldova 2030’ as envisaged in the Government’s Action Plan for 2020-2023.