Unprecedented grant support to the Environment sector. "Biodiversity and sustainable local development in Armenia" project was launched.
Today, at the Ministry of Environment, Minister Hakob Simidyan and Frank Moerschl, senior portfolio manager of German Reconstruction Loans Bank (KfW) projects, signed the agreement announcing the launch of the "Biodiversity and Sustainable Local Development in Armenia" project.
Welcoming the start of the project and congratulating the partners on the signing of the contract developed as a result of the previous long work, the minister expressed hope that the results of the project will be visible in the near future.
"Based on the need for effective protection and sustainable use of Armenia's rich and unique biodiversity, the implementation of the project becomes more important and can be a turning point in terms of addressing the existing problems in the field, as well as setting a qualitatively new benchmark for the management of specially protected areas of nature," the minister noted.
The entire budget of the project is around 26 million euros.
The grant funds provided within the framework of the program are aimed at the improvement and management of protected areas rich in biodiversity, natural resources and natural monuments, supporting the sustainable management of forests, forest landscape and forest restoration measures, socio-economic development measures in selected adjacent communities, measures to promote ecotourism, consulting services. The duration of the project is planned to be 6 years, which will be preceded by the initial stage of implementation of the technical and economic study by the project consultant for about 6 months. The volume of grant support is unprecedented in the region and one of the largest globally.
The grant program has the following main components:
- improvement and management of protected areas, natural resources and natural monuments, as well as measures to promote ecotourism
- sustainable forest management, restoration of forest landscapes and reforestation measures,
- socio-economic development activities in selected adjacent communities,
- consulting services.