PRESS RELEASE
Armenia Fund USA, Inc.
152 Madison Ave, S-803
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E-mail: info@armeniafundusa.org
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Armenia Fund USA Joins the Civil Society Voice of the UN

NEW YORK, New York – "If the United Nations’ global agenda is to be properly
addressed, a partnership with civil society at large is not an option, it is
a necessity." This is how United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
defines non-governmental organizations’ (NGOs) partnership with the world
body and the importance of a unified vision to tackle global challenges that
range from poverty eradication to provision of clean drinking water, from
halting the spread of deadly disease to bringing sustainability in the
social and economic development of the world’s impoverished.

Approved by the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations of the
Department of Public Information (DPI) in July 2006, Armenia Fund USA joined
the United Nations’ family of NGOs as an organization with extensive
expertise in international development and humanitarian activities in
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. In its capacity to support the aims and most
humane purposes of the world organization and more than 1500 NGOs that work
closely with it, the Fund’s accreditation to the United Nations comes as a
continuous commitment to its mission of bringing long-term sustainable
development to men, women and children in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Although having always had strong ties with civil society and private
sector, the United Nations’ relations with NGOs have significantly evolved
over the past twenty years. This broadening included a very active inclusion
of a wide range of entities, global organizations of various missions, and,
most importantly, civil society groups in the day-to-day work and decision
making of the UN. From the peripheral part, initially assigned to them,
these actors today play a major role in raising awareness on a wide range of
issues on a global level.

The UN Department of Public Information is the central source of information
dissemination about the work of the UN and its cooperation with the civil
society. More than 1,500 non-governmental organizations and advocacy groups
are currently associated with the UN through the DPI.

Founded in 1992 as part of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund and incorporated as
Armenia Fund USA in 1995, the Fund’s mission is providing large-scale
infrastructure and self-sustainable development to Armenia and Karabakh.
Initially mandated with the task of providing humanitarian aid following
Armenia’s independence from the Soviet Union, the Fund has evolved over
years into an organization that has an impressive track record of having
successfully completed a diverse range of large-scale infrastructure and
self-sustainable development programs in the region. From combating poverty
to providing jobs, empowering farming communities in poor and rural areas to
strengthening civil society’s involvement in the development and transition
process of Armenia, the Fund has largely contributed to the overall economic
development, social reform and encouragement of civic activism in the
country.

Today Armenia Fund USA joins the forum of like-minded organizations and
partners to promote higher standards of living toward social progress and
development.