On 22 September 2026 in Chisinau, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the CEI-Executive Secretariat (CEI-ES) presented the latest activities and results of the CEI Fund at the EBRD, with a particular focus on its operations and impact in Moldova.
The event featured keynote addresses by Alexei Buzu, Secretary General of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, Giuseppe Perricone, Ambassador of Italy to Moldova, as well as Giuseppe Grimaldi, Head of EBRD in Moldova. It brought together representatives of Moldovan institutions, the business community and a range of other stakeholders.
The meeting provided an opportunity to present the role of the CEI Fund at the EBRD and the funding facilities available through its two main instruments: the Technical Cooperation (TC) Programme and the Know-how Exchange Programme (KEP). Participants also discussed concrete examples of CEI–EBRD cooperation in Moldova, including projects supported in areas such as environmental sustainability and municipal infrastructure.
The Chisinau event is part of a broader roadshow across CEI Member States, jointly organised by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the EBRD and the CEI-ES. The initiative aims to showcase the results and impact of projects supported through the CEI Fund at the EBRD, while raising awareness of the opportunities available to institutions, businesses and other stakeholders in CEI Member States.
The roadshow underlines Italy’s sustained commitment to supporting the European integration of CEI Member States which are EU candidates through the CEI Fund at the EBRD, the Organisation’s main operational instrument and entirely financed by Italy. The Chisinau meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment by the organisers and their partners to strengthening regional cooperation, supporting sustainable development and contributing to Moldova’s European path.
The event featured remarks by Ambassador Giuseppe Perricone, who argued that within the framework of excellent bilateral relations, the CEI Fund at the EBRD is a further, concrete expression of Italy’s commitment to supporting Moldova’s full integration in the European Union and to strengthening regional cooperation.
The event concluded with remarks by Min. Alfredo Durante Mangoni, CEI National Coordinator at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation that stated, “In Moldova, the results achieved through CEI–EBRD cooperation demonstrate how targeted technical assistance and the exchange of expertise can contribute to sustainable development and bring tangible benefits to citizens and businesses.”
The next stops of the roadshow will take place in Albania on 23 September and Serbia on 24 September.
Moldova joined the EBRD in 1992 and the CEI in 1996. Since then, the CEI Fund at the EBRD has committed more than EUR 8 million to 74 projects in Moldova, supporting cooperation and the transfer of expertise across a range of sectors.
