UNDP AND HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND JOIN EFFORTS TO ALLEVIATE RURAL POVERTY IN ARMENIA
Panorama.am
19:31 25/10/06
Today, in the UN House in Yerevan, United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and Hayastan All-Armenian Fund signed a memorandum
of understanding to closely cooperate in the area of rural poverty
alleviation in Armenia.
Ms. Consuelo Vidal, UNDP resident representative in Armenia and
Ms. Naira Melkumyan, Chief Executive of the Fund signed the memorandum.
Ms. Vidal noted in her speech: "Rural poverty alleviation is a serious
concern both for the government and the United Nations".
Rural poverty eradication was the focus of the recently held
Armenia-Diaspora Third Conference. UNDP and Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
also participated in the conference and presented their respective
programmes in the field.
As of today, village development plans for 20 communities are already
developed with direct participation of the village inhabitants and the
local self-governance bodies, with UNDP"s assistance. UNDP’s support
will not be limited only to infrastructure, but to local projects in
the villages that generate jobs.
"We are very happy with the partnership with Hayastan All-Armenian
Fund that we formally establish today. We strongly believe that through
joining our efforts we will be able to achieve much more in our fight
against poverty in the country," – mentioned Ms. Vidal.
Ms. Melkumyan, in her answers to the journalists" questions, mentioned:
"We and UNDP agree on the methods to be used while supporting Armenian
villages.
Namely, we tend to provide means to build houses and not ready-made
houses. That is, we want to create all the necessary conditions for
villagers to become wealthy. Only in this case we will be successful
in our endeavours."
Currently, Hayastan All-Armenian Fund"s activities focus on improvement
of large-scale physical and development infrastructures. The Fund
has a proven track record: 138 miles (220 km) of roads, 81 miles
(130 km) of waterways, 36 schools, 3 electric transmission networks,
210 residential buildings, and 14 healthcare institutions.
UNDP is the UN"s global development network. We operate in 166
countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and
national development challenges. As they develop local capacity,
they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners..