The Foreign Policy Association of Moldova (APE) was established in May 2004 by a group of well-known Moldovan experts, public personalities, former and current senior governmental officials, and diplomats reunited by their commitment to contribute with their expertise and experience to developing and implementing a credible, efficient, and pragmatic foreign policy that would support Moldova’s democratization, territorial reintegration, economic modernization, and its European integration. Since its foundation the Foreign Policy Association has implemented numerous projects designed to: promote dialogue with Transnistrian separatist region of Moldova; enhance the expertise and institutional capacities of the political parties and civil society organizations in the area of European integration; encourage and support research and debates on foreign policy issues; facilitate networking and partnership links between non-governmental organizations, and governmental institutions; promote and defend human rights; enhance anti-discrimination capacities of local and central authorities; advocate Moldova’s European integration objectives, reforms and prospects, as well to strengthen civil society organizations and grassroots’ engagement in good governance process including in the implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.
As an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit organization, the APE aims to:
- improve the quality of the foreign policy debates in Moldova;
- provide a platform for informed discussions and analysis on foreign policy issues;
- strengthen the foreign policy experts’ community in Moldova;
- foster better interaction between non-governmental experts and decision makers;
- interpret Moldova for a broader international audience and interpret the international processes for Moldovan public,
- provide interested officials and diplomats, as well as the wider public, an independent high-quality assessment on the most topical issues of Moldova’s foreign policy and international processes affecting Moldova’s interests;
- promote a better understanding by Moldovan public of various aspects of Moldovan foreign policy options and ways of achieving its goals on the international scene;
- stimulate citizens’ interest in the area of foreign policy and better understanding of various aspects of European affairs and international relations.
To these ends the APE and its staff:
- organise foreign policy-focused events (conferences, round tables, seminars, public discussions, summer schools, study trips, etc.);
- arrange public lectures and visits by international experts and scholars;
- participate in international conferences, regional think-tank initiatives and networks;
- publish studies, analyses and commentaries;
- conduct policy-oriented research;
- make regular commentaries in the media.