ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: "COOPERATION OF ARMENIA WITH UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME GIVES POSITIVE RESULTS"

Noyan Tapan
Feb 27 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian received on February 26 Kori Udovicki, the UN Assistant
Secretary General, UN Development Programme Assistant Administrator,
Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and Commonwealth
of Independent States, and the delegation headed by her. Louise
Vinton, the UNDP Senior Programme Manager for Caucasus was also
in the delegation staff. Attaching importance to the high-ranking
delegation’s visit to Armenia, the RA Prime Minister mentioned that
becoming a UN member in 1992 and accepting the principles of universal
values, protection of human rights and establishment of democracy
as preconditions necessary for a democratic state, Armenia actively
participates in works being promoted within the framework of that world
authoritative organization and cooperates with active structures and
circles of the organization. Today, in A.Margarian’s words, based
on the experience gathered during the last years, Armenia is ready
to make its participation and cooperation more effective. The RA
Prime Minister emphasized that Armenia appreciates the role of the
Human Development Reports, prepared with the assistance of the UN
Development Programme, in the affair of covering the state of human
development during the transitional period of time and presenting to
the international community. The volume of programs implemented by
the UNDP in Armenia from 1993 foundation of its office in Armenia till
now made 21 mln U.S. dollars. Today as well the Programme shows great
assistance to the RA Government in the affair of implementing the
millennium development program and in the issue of reducing poverty
till 2015. The Prime Minister attached importance, particularly,
to implementation of 2006-2008 programs for bording communities
of Armenia as well as to works already implemented for 2005-2009
and review of the programs being envisaged. A.Margarian expressed
confidence that without active assistance of the UN agencies,
development and implementation of poverty reduction, anti-corruption
programs, ones on protection of the women’s and children’s rights,
struggle against organized crime started by the Government of Armenia
would be incomparably difficult. Mentioning that activity of the UN
Office in RA assisted strengthening of statehood and affair of economic
development, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the practical
contribution made by UN system bodies in those spheres, emphasizing
that the Armenian side in future as well expects assistance of that
international authoritative organization in the affair of solution
of problems most important for our state. Within that context,
A.Margarian attached importance to the RA Government’s initiative
for review of the poverty reduction strategic program as well as for
working out of a new anti-corruption strategy. He mentioned that if
the issue of creation of the legal basis for anti-corruption struggle
was mainly solved by the first anti-corruption program, then efforts
will be made by the new strategy in the direction of taking practical
and effective steps based on it.

K.Udovicki stated that after having been appointed on the post of
the Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Caucasus only three
weeks before, she paid her first visit to Armenia what, in her
words, is not accidental, taking into consideration the impressive
achievements of the republic during the recent years in the sense of
reforms being implemented especially in the sphere of economy. In her
opinion, the main problem at present is even distribution of achieved
results. K.Udovicki appreciated the Armenian Government’s efforts,
especially in the direction of implementation of the programs
on poverty reduction, overcoming gender inequality as well as
coordination of international organizations’ activity for solution
of those problems. She emphasized that all these give possibility
to much more effectively use the assistance shown by international
organizations within the framework of Millennium Challenges, European
Neighborhood Policy and other programs. As Noyan Tapan was informed
by the RA Government’s Information and Public Relations Department,
at the end of the meeting A.Margarian mentioned that the experience of
the last one and half decade proves that the cooperation of Armenia
with the UN Development Programme gives positive results and assured
in the RA Government’s readiness to continue that cooperation from
now on as well.