Tweet
NEW EU ASSISTANCE TO ARMENIA OF EURO 77.5 MILLION (44 BILLION AMD)
Lragir.am
Politics - 16 January 2015, 13:18
On 16 January the Prime Minister's Office of the Republic of Armenia
and the EU Delegation to Armenia held a ceremony on the launch of eight
EU - Armenia Financing Agreements, intended to assist development and
reforms in Armenia. The new actions entail an EU contribution of EURO
77.5 million (44 billion AMD).
The eight agreements will support progress in some of the main areas
of bilateral cooperation - from agriculture and regional development,
through capacity building for the implementation of EU programmes,
support to migration and integrated border management, anti-corruption
and civil service reforms, to water supply improvement, Yerevan metro
rehabilitation and nuclear safety.
The ceremony was welcomed by H. E. Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, the Prime
Minister of the Republic of Armenia, and H.E. Ambassador Traian
Hristea, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, and attended by
representatives of the beneficiary Government institutions, the EU
Member States, and International organizations accredited to Armenia.
Prime Minister Abrahamyan mentioned in his remarks that "the assistance
provided by the European Union enabled the implementation of reforms in
many areas such as trade related regulations, food safety, intellectual
property rights, justice, vocational education, public financial
management". He expressed confidence that the implementation of the
concluded agreements will facilitate the reforms in the relevant
areas as well as will strengthen the sectoral cooperation with the EU.
"The European Union expects that this substantial assistance will lead
to bold reforms over the next years. A high level of commitment and
strong domestic support under parliamentary and civil society oversight
will be indispensable for Armenia's successful development," noted
the Head of EU Delegation. He added that "Armenia remains the second
largest per-capita recipient of EU funds in the Eastern Partnership".
With two of the agreements, the EU gives support to economic
development in Armenia, contributing to overall poverty reduction.
This includes assistance to agriculture and rural development
(EURO 25 million), which will lead to efficient and sustainable
agriculture, increasing employment, supporting farmers associations and
cooperatives, and improving access to affordable food. In addition,
through an action on regional development (EURO 10 million), the
EU will support specific projects (public-private partnerships,
employment creation, training of the labour force) to step up the
economic development of Armenia's regions.
In the area of governance, the EU is now focusing specifically
on anti-corruption and civil service reform measures (EURO 21
million). The EU will also support border management and migration
(EURO 4 million) in view of the Mobility Partnership and Visa
Facilitation agreement between the EU and Armenia.
Another agreement will enhance the ability of civil servants,
facilitate Armenia's participation in EU programmes (EURO 6 million)
and reinforce the civil society as an important partner in promoting
bilateral cooperation and monitoring reforms.
Two large infrastructure initiatives have also been agreed, set to
improve the daily lives of Yerevan residents. One will provide an
overhaul of the Yerevan metro system (EURO 5 million) by addressing
public health and safety concerns, while another will support the
rehabilitation of the water supply network in Yerevan (EURO 5.5
million), improving water and waste water services.
Last but not least, the EU will support nuclear safety through
enhancing the regulatory capacity and framework for radioactive waste
management (EURO 1 million).
This new assistance package confirms the commitment of Armenia and
the EU to further strengthen their bilateral cooperation.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/33445#sthash.Q3NFPuKA.dpuf
From: A. Papazian
Lragir.am
Politics - 16 January 2015, 13:18
On 16 January the Prime Minister's Office of the Republic of Armenia
and the EU Delegation to Armenia held a ceremony on the launch of eight
EU - Armenia Financing Agreements, intended to assist development and
reforms in Armenia. The new actions entail an EU contribution of EURO
77.5 million (44 billion AMD).
The eight agreements will support progress in some of the main areas
of bilateral cooperation - from agriculture and regional development,
through capacity building for the implementation of EU programmes,
support to migration and integrated border management, anti-corruption
and civil service reforms, to water supply improvement, Yerevan metro
rehabilitation and nuclear safety.
The ceremony was welcomed by H. E. Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, the Prime
Minister of the Republic of Armenia, and H.E. Ambassador Traian
Hristea, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, and attended by
representatives of the beneficiary Government institutions, the EU
Member States, and International organizations accredited to Armenia.
Prime Minister Abrahamyan mentioned in his remarks that "the assistance
provided by the European Union enabled the implementation of reforms in
many areas such as trade related regulations, food safety, intellectual
property rights, justice, vocational education, public financial
management". He expressed confidence that the implementation of the
concluded agreements will facilitate the reforms in the relevant
areas as well as will strengthen the sectoral cooperation with the EU.
"The European Union expects that this substantial assistance will lead
to bold reforms over the next years. A high level of commitment and
strong domestic support under parliamentary and civil society oversight
will be indispensable for Armenia's successful development," noted
the Head of EU Delegation. He added that "Armenia remains the second
largest per-capita recipient of EU funds in the Eastern Partnership".
With two of the agreements, the EU gives support to economic
development in Armenia, contributing to overall poverty reduction.
This includes assistance to agriculture and rural development
(EURO 25 million), which will lead to efficient and sustainable
agriculture, increasing employment, supporting farmers associations and
cooperatives, and improving access to affordable food. In addition,
through an action on regional development (EURO 10 million), the
EU will support specific projects (public-private partnerships,
employment creation, training of the labour force) to step up the
economic development of Armenia's regions.
In the area of governance, the EU is now focusing specifically
on anti-corruption and civil service reform measures (EURO 21
million). The EU will also support border management and migration
(EURO 4 million) in view of the Mobility Partnership and Visa
Facilitation agreement between the EU and Armenia.
Another agreement will enhance the ability of civil servants,
facilitate Armenia's participation in EU programmes (EURO 6 million)
and reinforce the civil society as an important partner in promoting
bilateral cooperation and monitoring reforms.
Two large infrastructure initiatives have also been agreed, set to
improve the daily lives of Yerevan residents. One will provide an
overhaul of the Yerevan metro system (EURO 5 million) by addressing
public health and safety concerns, while another will support the
rehabilitation of the water supply network in Yerevan (EURO 5.5
million), improving water and waste water services.
Last but not least, the EU will support nuclear safety through
enhancing the regulatory capacity and framework for radioactive waste
management (EURO 1 million).
This new assistance package confirms the commitment of Armenia and
the EU to further strengthen their bilateral cooperation.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/33445#sthash.Q3NFPuKA.dpuf
From: A. Papazian