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PRESS RELEASE
Contact ~ info@armeniafund.org
Armenia Fund’s Village Development Program Discussed in Paris
Paris, France – A special joint meeting took place in Paris, France
between Armenia Fund affiliates and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Armenia, on February 16, 2007. The meeting was chaired by the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, H.E. Vartan Oskanian and the Executive
Director of `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund Ms. Naira Melkoumian and was
organized by Armenia Fund’s French affiliate – Fonds Armenien de France.
The meeting discussed the scope of the Village Development Program which
identifies a total of 125 villages along the borders of Armenia in
clusters of five to ten villages. A number of international sources and
private donors are identified that will provide funding mechanisms for
economic and infrastructure development with the aim of revitalizing
each cluster. The participants decided to conduct a needs analysis for
the first cluster which will work as a pilot project. A number of other
clusters will be identified in the coming months and will be discussed
in detail during Armenia Fund’s Annual International Board of Trustees
meeting in May. The clusters will be included in Armenia Fund’s global
fundraising activities in fiscal year 2007.
In an attempt to better coordinate ongoing United Nations projects in
Armenia, present at the meeting was Armenia’s Ambassador to the United
Nations in Geneva, H.E. Zohrab Mnatsakian.
The Armenia Fund Village Development Program by its very nature and
scope has the potential to work closely with the Millennium Challenge
Account. Therefore, the CEO of Millennium Challenge Corporation in
Armenia Mr. Ara Hovsepian was present to assess the areas of synergy and
coordination. The Millennium Challenge Compact is a 5 year program
awarded by the U.S. government to Armenia with the purpose of rebuilding
the former Soviet republic’s rural irrigation and road network. The $235
million program is set to revive Armenia’s rural economy, as well as
boost the regional Development efforts currently underway by the
Armenian government.
Armenia Fund’s international Executive Director, Mrs. Naira Melkoumian
stressed that since the Fund’s establishment 15 years ago, the
organization has implemented large scale infrastructure development
projects and humanitarian aid in Armenia and Artsakh. She also briefed
the attendees on the Fund’s ongoing projects and emphasized that the
organization continues to enjoy the undivided support of the Diaspora.
Armenia Fund, Inc., is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation
established in 1994 to facilitate large-scale humanitarian and
infrastructure development assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Since 1991, Armenia Fund has rendered more than $160 million in
development aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Armenia Fund, Inc. is
the U.S. Western Region affiliate of "Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund. Tax
ID# 95-4485698