MACRO 2025 Conference "Bridging the Divide: Addressing Poverty and Economic Divergence in the Context of the Republic of Moldova’s European Integration Process"

The event is a national platform for dialogue between authorities, local and international experts, the business environment, civil society and development partners. The purpose of the MACRO conference is to analyze current challenges and identify strategic directions that support the sustainable development and European integration of the country.

At this year’s edition, discussions will focus on two dimensions: major disparities that influence the European path of the Republic of Moldova, namely the internal gap, related to poverty and income inequalities, and the external development gap, marked by the slow pace of economic convergence with the European Union. These topics will be addressed in two dedicated panels, which will highlight the economic and social implications of these disparities and how we can contribute to the formulation of effective public policy solutions.

Economy and poverty on the discussion table

The first panel discussion of the event will be dedicated to the economic convergence of the Republic of Moldova with the European Union, analyzing recent developments and economic prospects for 2026–2027. Participants will discuss the major challenges facing the national economy, the opportunities for accelerating growth and strengthening economic resilience, as well as ways to reduce the convergence gap with the European Union. The main vulnerabilities of the economy, such as the budgetary situation, the current account, the trade deficit and the level of government debt, will also be addressed, as well as the measures needed to increase competitiveness in the context of accession negotiations.

The second panel will focus on the phenomenon of poverty in the Republic of Moldova, discussing the scale, trends and the most vulnerable groups. The debates will include identifying the structural causes of poverty, assessing existing social policies and proposing solutions to combat poverty. Participants will analyze how social protection policies can be made more efficient and better targeted, as well as what a successful anti-poverty strategy by 2030 could look like, aligned with the objectives of European integration and the support of development partners.

The State of the Country Report 2025: What the Data Tells Us

The State of the Country Report 2025 will be presented at the MACRO 2025 Conference, providing a detailed picture of the economic and social situation in the Republic of Moldova. The document contains a solid analytical basis and will be the starting point for the discussions of the MACRO Conference, outlining priorities for public policies that support sustainable development and improve the well-being of the population.

For example, according to the report, the national economy continues to stagnate, with a growth of only 0.1% in 2024 and 0% in the first half of this year, while the pace of real wage growth has slowed, real pensions have stagnated, and remittance flows have decreased. The data outlines the major challenges facing the country and the need for sustainable economic policies to relaunch growth and strengthen economic resilience.

Based on the report, the event will also present the modest impact of real incomes on living standards and the increase in monetary poverty, especially among people with low educational levels, large families and pensioners.

The MACRO 2025 conference is organized by the Independent Analytical Center "Expert-Grup" and the "Friedrich Ebert" Foundation Moldova, this year's edition of the MACRO conference being dedicated to analyzing the main differences affecting the country's economy: internal inequality and the external gap with the European Union.

All details about the event, the agenda and information on how to participate in the conference can be found on the dedicated module:

MACRO Conference 2025