UN TO EXTEND $72 MILLION LOAN TO ARMENIA FOR 2010-2015

/ARKA/
July 27, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, July 27. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
and UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia Consuelo Vida signed
last Friday the 2010-2015 United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
in Armenia. The five-year financial commitments of UN to Armenia
total $72mln, which will enable the RA government to fully implement
scheduled projects.

"UN has been working with Armenia since 1992 and it has 14 agencies,
funds and programs in Armenia," Sargsyan said. With the spotlight of
the new program being Armenia’s sustainable development, 33% of the
UNDP loan will be allocated for empowerment initiatives.

"What is crucially important is that the UN programs focus on the
proportional economic and democratic development of Armenia’s regions,"
the premier said, stressing the role of the five-year rural community
development programs.

He expressed a hope that UNDP would keep contributing to Armenia’s
dynamical development. The prime minister thanked the UN resident
representative for her immense contribution to the Armenian
government’s programs.

In her turn, Vidal emphasized the role of the new agreement for the
UN Representation in Armenia and the UN structures in the country.

She vowed staunch support to the development of national institutes
and application of the best global practices in Armenia.

According t o Vidal, UN aims at supporting the socially vulnerable
in Armenia, adding the organization is currently assessing the impact
of the global crisis on the low-income population.

The UN resident representative thanked the RA government and prime
minister for their contribution to UN initiatives in Armenia. She
stressed that the new program embodies all the 14 UN structures
in Armenia and maps out five-year activities of each of these
institutions. Vidal said the program will help eliminate polarization
between the capital city and regions, as well as open up new employment
opportunities and reduce poverty in Armenia.

The second goal of the program is to boost social services and
contribute to democratic management, protecting the human rights in
Armenia, combating corruption and strengthening public involvement
in those initiatives.

The program also focuses on environmental protection, climate change
and modernization of the national system of averting calamities.