The Republic of Moldova managed to maintain a positive flow of investments, even if their value fluctuated. In 2023, net foreign direct investment flows totaled US$357.2 million. The figure is down from the record hit in 2022, when they reached US$586.4 million, according to data from "Study 3.0. The Impact of FDI on the Moldovan Economy", launched by the Investment Agency in partnership with the Foreign Investors Association, IPN reports.
European investors maintain their dominant position, accounting for 84% of total foreign investment in Moldova. At the same time, these investments in 2023 represented 33.1% of the GDP.
The impact of these investments on the Moldovan economy is evident in many regards, the study shows. The largest contributions came from industries, such as materials processing, trade, and financial services. Companies with foreign capital were leaders in productivity, with an efficiency rate that was 83% higher than that of local private firms, the same source specifies.
From the perspective of the labor market, in 2023, companies with foreign capital, even if they constitute only 6% of the total companies in Moldova, employed 14.6% of the national workforce. The average salaries offered by companies with foreign capital was 14,200 lei per month.
The study highlights the increased importance of the contribution of the reinvestment of profits by existing investors, which reflects their confidence in the stability and economic potential of the country, but also the profitability of their businesses in the Republic of Moldova.
