PRESS RELEASE
December 13, 2004
American University of Armenia Corporation
300 Lakeside Drive, 4th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (510) 987-9452
Fax: (510) 208-3576
Contact: Gohar Momjian
E-mail: gohar@auac.net
ARMENIA CONFERENCE CONCLUDES USAID EARTHQUAKE RECOVERY PROGRAM
More than 200 people participated in a conference on December 2 and 3, which
focused on the successes of the USAID Earthquake Zone Recovery Program. The
conference, From Recovery to Development: 2000-2005, was jointly convened by
USAID, the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the Urban Institute, and
the American University of Armenia at the Marriott Armenia Hotel in Yerevan.
The Conference marked the successful completion of USAID’s Earthquake Zone
Recovery Program (EQZRP) and acknowledged USAID’s assistance to the
Government of Armenia in approaching closure to shelter compensation in the
earthquake zone while, at the same time, fostering local economic
development. USAID’s implementing partner in this project is the Urban
Institute, in collaboration with Catholic Relief Services and the American
University of Armenia.
The $35 million EQZRP program ends in December 2004 and has been the largest
single endeavor of USAID/Armenia in the Mission’s twelve years of rendering
humanitarian and technical assistance to Armenia.
The Conference highlighted the primary results of EQZRP. Approximately 7,000
families – about 30,000 individuals – received permanent housing with 6,270
families benefiting from Housing Purchase Certificates and more than 700
families benefiting from Housing Improvement Grants. Over 120 municipal
sites have been reclaimed by the clearing of temporary shelters in five
cities, more than 50 sites that were formerly occupied by temporary shelters
have been redeveloped and are undergoing urban development, more than 100
public buildings and other sites – schools, kindergartens, museums, parks,
and squares — have been reclaimed and returned to the communities for use,
and over 4,000 temporary shelters have been removed.
Conference participants included US Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans,
USAID/Armenia Director, Robin Phillips, members of the Government of Armenia
and the 18 local governments partnering in the USAID Earthquake Zone
Recovery Program, non-governmental and other organizations that provided
services to the Program, the international donor community contributing to
the development of the earthquake zone, and Program staff and partners
including banks, auditors, engineers, and real estate professionals.
USAID/Armenia Director, Mr. Robin Phillips, cited the primary achievements
of the Earthquake Zone Recovery Program: `Since the year 2000, well over
6,000 households have already obtained permanent housing using Housing
Certificates in Gyumri, Akhuryan, Vanadzor, Gugark, Spitak, Stepanavan,
Maralik, Amasia, Jajur Station and Aparan. And 664 families in nine
communities in Shirak and Lori Marzes also have benefited by the Housing
Improvement Grant Program.’ Mr. Phillips continued, `The Program’s
`Planning for Redevelopment’ component focuses on leveraging capital
infusion through housing certificates and housing improvement grants to
promote restoration of the urban fabric of the communities and to foster
local economic development, in particular in Gyumri and Spitak, which have
undergone the most visible transformations.’
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