High-Level Platform meets in Moldova to strengthen digital connectivity between EU, Black Sea region, South-Caucasus and Central Asia
On 9 and 11 November, the first High-Level Connectivity Platform Meeting on Digital took place in Chișinău, Moldova, jointly hosted by the European Commission and the Moldovan Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalisation.
The meeting set the groundwork for stronger digital connectivity between Europe and Central Asia, via the Black Sea region, the South Caucasus and Türkiye, in the form of an Integrated EU Secure Connectivity Offer.
The Platform brought together European technology, expertise, standards and financing to strengthen secure, trusted and resilient digital connectivity. It contributed to the EU’s plans to develop the Middle Corridor, which will connect Central Asia across the Caspian Sea to the South Caucasus and directly to the European market, via Türkiye and the Black Sea. The aim is to diversify routes, triple trade flows and slash freight transit times by 2030.
The meeting on 9 November brought together EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, with ministers responsible for digital transformation and senior representatives from EU Member States, the Black Sea region, Türkiye, South Caucasus and Central Asia, international financial institutions and the private sector.
The Integrated EU Secure Connectivity Offer is a regional application of the EU Tech Business Offer as outlined in the EU International Digital Strategy, and in line with EU secure connectivity initiatives such as IRIS and policies such as the EU toolbox for 5G security.
Under the Connectivity Agenda Platform, the Offer will facilitate strategic investment projects in trusted digital infrastructure with partner countries by bringing together European industry expertise, EU public financing instruments and security standards along the Middle Corridor. This will make the region safer, better connected and more resilient, benefiting both citizens and the economy.
At the Digital Connectivity Platform Meeting, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos on Monday also launched WiFi4Moldova, an EU-funded initiative worth €1 million.
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