AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN MCA-ARMENIA AND NATIONAL STATISTICS SERVICE OF ARMENIA

Yerevan, January 9. ArmInfo. Millennium Challenge Account – Armenia
(MCA-Armenia) and the RA National Statistical Service have signed
an Implementing Entity Agreement to use the NSS-conducted annual
Integrated Survey of Living Standards (ISLS) to assist MCA-Armenia with
monitoring and evaluation of the Program, in particular to measure the
decline in rural poverty attributable to the Program. The agreement
has been signed by MCA-Armenia CEO Ara Hovsepyan and the Head of the
NSS Stepan Mnatsakanyan.

The agreement stipulates that MCA-Armenia and the NSS will be
co-funding the ISLS. On that purpose MCA- Armenia will annually commit
up to US$ 395.700 to NSS.

The agreement anticipates to enlarge ISLS sample (if in 2006 there
were 5184 households involved, in 2007 their number will be equal
to 7872, the number will be increased in the result of increase of
rural households), to update the questionnaires so that they allow
to analyze project impact.

According to the Implementing Entity Agreement MCA-Armenia will be
tracking progress on the following indicators through ISLS: poverty
rate in rural areas; perceived poverty rate in rural areas; change
in real income from agriculture in rural areas; change in non-farm
income in rural areas; satisfaction with public transportation in
rural areas; share of respondents satisfied with irrigation services.