World Bank: One Million People Left Moldova

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The World Bank (WB) has published another economic report on the countries of Europe and Central Asia, devoted to the problems of migration and brain drain. According to the report, for all the years of independence, about 1 million people left Moldova, which is 24% of the country’s population. At the same time, 40% of those who left Moldova had higher education. Thus, Moldova is a donor country that supplies its personnel to other countries - mainly Russia, Portugal and Italy. More than 83% of Moldovans immigrated into these countries, fondsk.ru reports. Moldova is in the second place where there is high emigration of high-skilled workers after Bosnia and Herzegovina with 55 percent. Moldova is followed by Armenia, Albania, North Macedonia and Romania which are donor countries - a large percentage of specialists with higher education leave these countries for developed countries. According to the World Bank, brain drain is a serious problem for any donor country, which needs to be resolved as quickly as possible. “Emigration of skilled labor represents a serious concern. Such persistent patterns are often a symptom rather than the cause of the underlying problem. Improving governance quality and strengthening institutions in origin countries are long-term policies that can address the root causes of persistent emigration,” the report reads. WB recommends the Moldovan authorities to “promote private sector and job creation, investing in higher education, and increasing opportunities for women in the economy. Greater connectivity is also an important aspect of increasing engagement with the diaspora; even if it facilitates emigration, emigrants who stay connected are more likely to invest and return. As the World Bank reports, “key long-term challenges to economic growth in Moldova include population ageing, large emigration flows, and low productivity.” “Boosting productivity is the key solution for Moldova to achieve sustainable growth, create jobs, and further reduce poverty”, report reads. Point