Global Environment Fund seminar kicks off in Armenia

• Tuesday, September 25, 12:09

An enlarged seminar of the Global Environment Fund (GEF) kicked off in Yerevan September 25. The seminar involves representatives of Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Middle Asia and Switzerland. Representatives of the given GEF member-states will discuss development and management of projects and fulfillment of commitments under various conventions in the given sector.  The seminar will over on September 27.

Minister of Nature Protection of Armenia Aram Haroutiunyan said that Armenia and GEF have a years- long history of cooperation.

"A number of projects, including in the sphere of protection of reserves, have been implemented over the years of cooperation. I am sure we will achieve more visible results by combined efforts," he said.  The minister hopes that enlarged seminar will enhance development of regional cooperation and create conditions for implementation of joint projects.

Since joining GEF, Armenia has received a number of grants in the amount of $28.3 mln, which allowed raising $89.5 mln co-financing for implementation of 20 national projects: 8 climate projects, 5 bio- diversity projects, 4 projects in the sphere of organic pollutants, 2 multi-aspect projects and 1 project in the sphere of ozone layer protection. Armenia has participated in implements of 5 global and regional projects due to $12.5 mln financing by GEF and additional co-funding in the amount of $33.6 mln. Armenia received GEF-5 STAR (system of transparent assignation of resources) replenishments (for
the period from June 2010 up to July 2014) to develop and implement projects in the biodiversity sphere in the amount of $1.5 mln, in the climate changes  - $2.3 mln and in the sphere of soil degradation - $4.1 mln.