Global North-East SWOT Analysis Strong Points Weak Points ...

Opportunities• Location of the region as the easternborder of EU in the futures;• Forecasted decrease of inflation rate anddecrease of the credit cost consequently;• Presence of Action Programs at nationallevel for: environment, HR, anti-poverty,industry, spatial planning, SMEs;• Encouraging new types of tourism andvalorization of historical, cultural, spiritualand traditional heritage;• Presence of raw materials: constructionmaterials and wood (see naturalresources) attractive for foreigninvestors;• Setting up SIRET-PRUT-NISTRU Euroregion;• Setting up the Economic CenterSuceava, Business Incubator Botosaniwithin PHARE 2001;• Funding of ‘Rehabilitation of AgapiaMonastery Tourist Area’ and ‘BusinessCenter Tutova-Barlad’ within PHARE2002;• Support to business by modernizing theregion’s airports as tourists startingpoints for region tourists routes;• Running the ‘Stefan cel Mare – 500years memorial’ project funded byRomanian government;other regions and national (34.00%) –year 2002;• Average stay over night in the region (2.7nights per tourist), lower than national(3.59 nights per tourist) – year 2000;• High rate of population employed inagriculture - 51,12% and a low one inservices 28,88% – 2002;• High percentage of populationconcentrated in rural area: 59.23% out ofthe total population of the region;• High unemployment rate of the region10.6% compared to the national one –8.8%, and Neamt county as 14.1% - in2001;Risks• Lack of cohesion if the economic andsocial provisions on the background ofincreased population mistrust into thecountry economic coming back tonormal;• Continuation of ‘brain drain’ to otherregions and countries;• Continuous increase of the populationpoverty rate in the region;• Presence of areas with a high risk ofnatural disasters (earth slides, floods,etc.);RDA NE SWOT Analysis RDP 2007-2013 PAGE 2