Assisted by national experts, the local public authorities from the Development Region South, which have joined the "Mayors for Economic Growth" Initiative, have taken the first steps in preparing and starting the process of elaborating the Local Economic Development Plans. These documents will receive the World Bank's approval and will provide more opportunities for developing and applying for various EU-funded projects calls for economic development.

On January 17, 2018, the experts within the M4EG Secretariat organized a workshop in Cimișlia with participation of the local consultants of LPAs of I and II levels from Development Region South. These LPAs joined at the initiative of the European Union and became Junior Members of the M4EG Club in November 2017.

There are 5 public authorities in the Development Region South which are members of M4EG Club: Cimislia District Council, Căușeni District Council, the Mayoralties of Cahul, Cimișlia and Căuşeni.

The Regional Development Agency South (RDA South) facilitated the meeting. This one aimed to carry out an entire analysis of the local economy of each territorial-administrative unit and of the strategic framework of the beneficiary communities.

Mr. Lilian Danilov and Mrs. Diana Nastas, the national experts of the "Mayors for Economic Growth" Initiative, have discussed with the representatives of the LPAs of I and II levels about the challenges they may face in the process of establishing local partnerships for economic development.

The local consultants proposed to address topics of common interest, trying to find answers to the questions: What planning document will be elaborated / reviewed? Is it necessary to update existing strategic documents or develop new ones? How do we build local partnerships? How do we analyze local economic development according to the components of the proposed model by the M4EG Initiative?

Finally, the participants have exchanged experience on the elaboration of local economic development plans and received expert advice.

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 "Mayors for Economic Growth" (www.m4eg.eu) is a new initiative of the European Union, which was set in operation in January 2017 within the Eastern Partnership framework. The overall goal is to support Mayors and municipalities of the Eastern Partnership countries to become active facilitators for economic growth and job creation at the local level.