Moldova’s Prime Minister Vasile Tofan discussed with Michel Kerf, the World Bank’s Regional Director for Digital Transformation, the potential for applying artificial intelligence (AI) to boost productivity in healthcare, agriculture and other sectors of the economy.
In October, the World Bank updated its economic review for the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region, entitled ‘Making AI Work: Jobs, Firms, and Productivity’. The Bank’s experts maintained their forecast for Moldova’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2026, whilst slightly improving their expectations for subsequent periods.
The Moldovan Ministry of Education and Research has launched a professional development programme entitled ‘Strategic University Leadership and Institutional Transformation’, designed for university leaders. Fifty-five representatives from six universities across the country are taking part in the training. The initiative is being implemented with the support of the World Bank as part of the ‘Higher Education in Moldova’ project.
Support for reforms and the search for additional aid have become key topics in the Moldovan delegation’s engagement with international financial institutions. The annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group, taking place from 12 to 18 October 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, served as a forum for these discussions. A delegation from Moldova, led by senior officials from the government’s finance ministry and the central bank, travelled there.
Gold could fall to $4,000 per troy ounce before continuing its rise to new highs, according to forecasts by the Swiss bank UBS. On Friday, gold prices had already begun to rise, and the bank’s analysts expect that purchases by central banks and investors will support prices even with high interest rates in the US.
The World Bank has maintained its forecast for Moldova’s GDP growth in 2026 at 1.9 per cent, noting the continuing pressure on the economy due to external shocks, inflationary risks and the budget deficit. The corresponding updated review has been published as part of the organisation’s October report.
The World Bank has more than halved its forecast for Ukraine’s economic growth in 2027, from 4 per cent to 1.5 per cent. Active hostilities and the uncertain outlook for external financing are now factored into the country’s GDP forecast for the whole of next year.
The government is set to adjust the framework for implementing and financing the electricity system development project by restructuring it and partially cancelling €3.5 million in funding for components that are no longer to be built.
Teachers and management staff from 64 educational institutions receiving EQIP grants will take part in study visits to Romania and Estonia between September and November 2026. The visits are organised as part of the ‘Enhancing the Quality of Education’ (EQIP) project, funded by the World Bank with a total budget of $59.8 million.
The Turkish consortium Alke-Turmaks is the contractor for the ‘Expansion and Improvement of Sewerage Services in the Municipality of Soroca’ project, worth approximately 11.5 million euros. Hydroplan/Apcan is the supervising company.
