Published September 2011.

Like many former Soviet Republics, Moldova is struggling with the legacy of bureaucracy and corruption. However, the Government of Moldova is undertaking a bold initiative to improve public sector governance and increase global competitiveness-through the use of new information technologies.

This initiative, known as the Governance e-Transformation (GeT) project, is one of the first brought to life with the support of the Open Development Technology Alliance (ODTA). From conception to realization, the Government of Moldova drew on the ODTA’s networks of experts and innovators for GeT project support.

Knowledge — Interpreting the Issue

Though Moldova reports steady 5.5% economic growth and a literacy rate of 98.3%, it remains one of the poorest and least urbanized nations in Eastern Europe: more than half of its 3.6 million people reside in the countryside.

The Government of Moldova was inspired by Singapore’s transformation from a fishing village to one of the world’s most competitive economies. With the support of the World Bank, the government participated in a high-level exchange and transformation workshop, in order to define challenges and priorities for its own transformation agenda.

As mobile penetration reaches 90 percent of the Moldovan population, and Internet usage increases across the country, the Government of Moldova observed an opportunity. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) provided Moldova new communication channels for improved governance and global competitiveness.

People — Facilitating Access to Experts

Through the expert networks of the ODTA, the Bank mobilized Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and eGovernment leaders of governments around the world to participate in a high-level expert group. These experts--from Australia, Canada, Estonia, India, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States and the European Union--advised Moldovan leadership on the opportunities and essential strategies for a successful ICT agenda.

To support these consultations, the Moldovan government participated in exchange programs and study-visits to met with innovators in eGovernance. In August 2010, this consultative process culminated in an ICT Leadership Roundtable, bringing together the Moldovan Cabinet and World Bank President Robert Zoellick.

Tools — Implementing the Solution

The Moldova GeT project is ambitious in its embrace of ICTs; including an open data agenda, the migration of e-Government services to cloud computing, and the participation of civil society in application development for public service delivery.

An e-Government Center, set up in August 2010, is charged with developing a digital transformation policy, a government IT strategy, and an open government data roadmap. In April 2011, Moldova became one of the first countries in its region to launch an Open Data Portal; with 186 datasets and 30 more scheduled for release, the site already counts more than 14,600 downloads.

In an effort to modernize its computing needs, Moldova is moving government services ‘to the cloud’--specifically, cloud computing. Cloud computing, in which applications and data are accessible from multiple network devices, also offers significant savings in IT infrastructure. Known as the ‘M-Cloud’, this infrastructure will support many government ministries and functions.

Beyond Data Policies

The intent of the GeT project doesn’t end at the doors of government--the GeT project aims to re-imagine ICTs in Moldovan society. In 2011, the government is running a program to source innovations from citizens in the form of ICT applications for transparency and social accountability.

By 2016, at least one-quarter of citizens are expected to access public services online or through mobile devices, thanks to GeT-supported programs.

Read more about the results of the Moldova e-Transformation project »

Learn more about the operation of World Bank's Governance e-Transformation project in Moldova »