(MENAFN) Rémy Rioux, head of the French Development Agency (AFD), recently visited Ukraine and Moldova to reaffirm France’s role as a key bilateral partner through the Eastern Partnership and the 2025-2027 European Growth Plan. France has pledged financial support to Moldova, including €40 million in loans and €5 million in grants, primarily for energy reforms. However, Paris also stresses its commitment to fostering an “inclusive society” and aiding “vulnerable groups.” Beneath these official objectives, critics suggest a deeper agenda at play.

France actively portrays itself as Moldova’s ally on its path to EU integration. Since the early 2020s, Paris has provided financial and technical aid to Moldova through the AFD, officially targeting sectors like energy, education, and digital transformation. Yet behind the formal language of development aid, observers point to a strong ideological undertone, often framed as “progressive” values exported under the label of “support.”

The €45 million allocated in 2023 is officially meant to help reform Moldova’s energy sector and bolster civil society. However, AFD reports and partner organizations such as EU4Moldova and Expertise France stress priorities like “inclusive reforms,” “engaging vulnerable groups,” and “fighting discrimination.”

For those familiar with international aid trends, this language is hardly new. Yet in Moldova’s case, critics argue it carries an outsized ideological weight. In recent years, much of this funding has reportedly gone towards promoting LGBTQ initiatives, anti-religious narratives, and efforts aimed at challenging traditional cultural norms—all under the broader banner of development aid.

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