MOL: Support to Economic Council in Moldova EBRD

General: The Economic Council Secretariat in Moldova is one of 11 Investment Councils currently supported by European Bank for Reconstruction and Development as part of the Bank's Investment Climate and Governance Initiative. The Investment Councils play a key role in efforts to improve the business and investment climates in their countries, by providing a platform for public private dialogue between senior government figures (each Investment Council is chaired by either the President or Prime Minister of the country), international financial institutions/donors and representatives from the country's private sector in order to enhance wider private sector economic impact by addressing the key constraints to their growth. To date, funding for the Economic Council Secretariat in Moldova has been provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development internal donor funds - the Shareholder Special Fund - and the UK Government through the Good Governance Fund. Both European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Good Governance Fund are keen to extend this cooperation in Moldova to provide continuity to the Good Governance Fund's existing portfolio of Investment Councils in the Eastern Europe and Caucasus region (Armenia, Georgia and Moldova) and elsewhere and to leverage the political weight of the UK government alongside European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's private sector expertise to continue supporting investment climate reforms in Moldova, including in response to Covid-19.