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Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
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ARMENIADIAS PORA III
Armenpress Interview with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
June 8, 2006
QUESTION: Mr. Oskanian, two Armenia-Diaspora conferences have already taken
place. Will the third conference differ from the first two?
Armenia Diaspora III is being convened under new historical and
geo-political realities and naturally the agenda of the conference and the
issues discussed there must reflect on the problems, developments and
challenges facing our nation today and in years to come.
This year, Armenians around the world will celebrate 15 years of Armenian
independence. In that light, ArmeniaDiaspora III is a good opportunity to
examine together the path we’ve traveled, analyze and assess the present and
consider the prospects for future development.
In these past years, much has changed in Armenian life.
Specifically, by overcoming many difficulties, Armenia has entered a period
of economic progress, and in recent years has registered serious growth.
During the same time period, there have been important changes in the
Diaspora too, and the Diaspora has become more focused, allowing for active
participation in the processes of proposing and resolving problems.
So, today, we have real opportunities, and in addition to the general issues
on the Diaspora agenda, and unlike the previous conferences, we will put
forward new programs of a pan-Armenian nature around which all Armenians can
rally.
QUESTION: What are the pan-Armenian issues on the agenda of ArmeniaDiaspora
III?
We¹ve come a long way over these 15 years, and overcome great difficulties.
Over the next 15 years, we must work hard to turn Armenia into the country
of our dreams. That can only happen if Armenia¹s expectations of the
Diaspora and the Diaspora¹s expectations of Armenia are more evenly matched.
The Conference will deal with those issues.
At the same time, with independence come questions about identify, about
homeland-diaspora relations, about language and religion, and about diaspora
institutions. And if our traditional organizations used to look at these
questions one way, today¹s youth approaches these issues very differently.
They are looking for new answers to old questions. That is why the second
half of the conference will focus on exactly that New Answers to Old
Questions A Nation-State in the 21st Century.
This way, we will have addressed the two fundamental issues facing a people
and a country identity and development — who we are and who we want to
become.
QUESTION: Can you elaborate on the development program that you have
mentioned?
Everyone who has visited Armenia comments on the discrepancy in lifestyle
and standard of living between the cities and the rural areas. Armenia¹s
economic growth indicators are impressive, but that growth really has not
reached the villages. If we want to ensure that these rural communities are
not destined to remain stagnant, permanent pockets of poverty, if we want to
ensure that Armenians are not born into a cycle of poverty, then we cannot
allow development to simply take its course. Even at this current fast pace,
it will take decades before we reach even the average European level of
prosperity.
This will be a very broad effort to eradicate rural poverty in Armenia. The
strategic objective of this program is reducing poverty in rural Armenia¹s
border villages through an integrated approach. The program will provide the
necessary intervention in the form of infrastructure and technical support,
and in partnership with the residents of the village, the program will
support economic development in order to enable the sustainability and
viability of rural communities.
QUESTION: What is the scope of this program? How will you decide where to
begin?
The effects of rural poverty and hopelessness on migration, regional
stability, geo-strategic and economic security are obvious in these
villages. That is why we have decided to begin with Armenia¹s border areas.
It¹s going to take a focused, targeted collaborative effort to improve life
for our compatriots in these critical border areas.
In each of these villages, necessary infrastructure is simply non-existent.
Some have no paved roads, others have no running water, some have no gas or
electricity. Imagine trying to raise a family or make a living without these
basics. Then, in addition to weak infrastructure, they also are often not
economically self-sufficient. This is a problem throughout Armenia, but I
don¹t think anyone will doubt that the border is critical.
QUESTON: Why launch such an ambitious and novel program now?
Why now? There are three main reasons.
First, we want to build on the international momentum that already exists.
Over the next five years, the Millennium Challenge Corporation will build
roads and bring irrigation water to Armenia¹s rural areas. In addition,
there is the generous new Lincy program that will build roads and schools
within and outside Yerevan. There are massive World Bank, USAID, DFID and
IFAD programs throughout Armenia. The Armenia Fund, too, has programs
throughout Armenia, as well as Karabakh, of course.We want to leverage these
programs and locate additional funds in order to bring comprehensive
development to the villages. Imagine that a village will, in a few years,
have irrigation water and roads, thanks to the MCC, for example. But imagine
that there will be no drinking water, no health care, no school, no gas or
electricity in that village. Imagine children growing up in a 21st century
rural community that has roads and water and electricity, but is without
access to telephone, television or internet. We can¹t let that happen. Now
imagine what we could do together if the Armenian government, Armenia¹s
business community, international organizations, and the Armenian Diaspora
came together to leverage the MCC contributions and to build on the MCC
momentum. Imagine a country where development is comprehensive, even, fair
and just.
The second reason to do it now is to sustain the pace of economic
development. Look, we¹ve had high growth, at least in part because our point
of departure was low. Our economy had collapsed. But the more the economy
grows, the harder it will be to maintain double-digit growth. Additional
infusion and intervention is necessary and why not target that infusion
towards the areas that need it most?
Finally, Armenia has, over these 15 years, held a leading role in this
region. This may sound surprising, but it¹s true. Georgia has a more
favorable geographic position and access to the sea, Azerbaijan has already
been pumping massive amounts of oil more than 300,000 barrels a day over
the last several years, yet, according to the World Bank, per capita income
is still higher in Armenia. This is something to be proud of, but it¹s also
something we must work at. We have to keep that edge even with the prospects
of additional oil revenues expected for Azerbaijan. We can do that only if
we aggressively mobilize our resources and clearly set comprehensive
economic development as our goal.
QUESTION: What will happen to the various organizations already working
towards rural development?
This program will make every effort to partner with all existing
organizations and programs in order to achieve maximum effectiveness and
efficiency. We have already spoken to every single organization, individual
and agency (more than 100 in number) with programs in Armenia¹s villages.
Our program is not intended to replace or compete with existing programs. On
the contrary, we will work with them to build on their efforts, to increase
their capacity. Our website will reflect their efforts as well, so that
donors and participants receive a complete picture of what is being done,
and what is still needed.
QUESTION: How will you seek support for this program?
This very serious and far-reaching program can only succeed with the active
engagement and involvement of a variety of actors and participants.
Individual countries have already expressed a willingness to focus their
development assistance on our rural areas. International organizations are
already focused on rural development. As are individual Diasporans and
Diaspora organizations. Now, we must also engage and involve Armenia¹s
businessmen, and new elements of the Diaspora.
This project is varied and broad enough that individuals can find a variety
of ways of getting involved. That is why this topic will form the focus of
the agenda of the 3d Armenia Diaspora Conference, to be held in Yerevan,
September 18 20.
There, we will explain the program¹s purpose, how it will be implemented,
how the funds will be raised and managed, and the key issues of transparency
and accountability will be addressed.
QUESTION: Will the management of the program remain within the Diaspora
Conference?
Until the ArmeniaDiaspora Conference, we will have completed the design of
the program, the management structure and begun the process of assessing
needs and finding sponsors for villages. After the ArmeniaDiaspora
Conference, we envision that the Armenia Fund is best situated to take over
as the umbrella which will implement the program. This ambitious program is
a natural expansion of the Armenia Fund¹s mission to facilitate
infrastructure and development programs that are beyond the government¹s
capacity.
It was a visionary step to create the Armenia Fund, soon after independence,
when its additional resources were sorely needed. It has since completed
projects which have invaluable, strategic significance for Armenia and
Armenians. Now, we are at a stage when we can and should broaden that
vision. Fifteen years after independence, we are no longer desperate and
focused on everyday survival. Today, we must project a vision for Armenia in
2020.
Of course, the breadth and scope of the program will require the Fund to
increase capacity, to provide even greater transparency and to involve wider
segments of the Diaspora.
QUESTION: What you¹ve described is truly inspiring and has vital
significance for Armenia¹s development. Are you certain that the program
will really come to life?
As I said, during these 15 years of independence, our people have withstood
horrible, heavy challenges and succeeded in overcoming them and ensuring
stable and harmonious conditions for the development of our new Republic.
There is an increased sense of responsibility on the part of all segments of
our nation toward our future development, and toward resolution of our
national problems and issues, together.
We are certain that if all our institutions are activated and inspired, and
if Armenia¹s and the Diaspora¹s resources are gathered around this program,
we will be able to implement this program and provide our compatriots living
in rural communities with basic conditions of dignity so that they can live
and work.
And perhaps the fundamental basis of our conviction is our talented and
active people, which has throughout history, in different countries, stood
out through its diligence and creative spirit, and has displayed dauntless
will and faith.
Therefore, together, we can and we must take this program forward in order
for our people to develop and prosper in safety and security.
This will be the essential message of ArmeniaDiaspora III.
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