Deputy Minister of Environment Tigran Gabrielyan received the representatives of the French Development Agency (AFD Group).
Lilit Abrahamyan, head of the water policy department of the ministry, and Gayane Hovsepyan, head of the water resources management department, took part in the meeting.
The deputy minister welcomed the mission of the agency in Armenia and expressed confidence in ensuring the continuity of the programs implemented by the agency.
The Deputy Minister presented the necessary measures for the effective management of the Ministry of Environment as a water sector policy implementing body, emphasized the importance of cooperation with international partners in terms of water resources conservation and effective management, inquired about the components and procedures of the new program launched by the agency.
Since 2015, the project supporting the construction of the Vedu Reservoir and the modernization of the irrigation systems of the lands adjacent to the Reservoir has been implemented by the Agency in Armenia and is already nearing completion. The water sector is one of the priorities of the agency and the purpose of the meeting, according to the representatives, was to discuss the perspective of other programs supporting the water sector.
The primary goal of the "Irrigated Agricultural Development in Ararat and Armavir Marzes" program launched in Armenia is to support the Armenian government in the direction of strategy and reforms in the water sector, as well as in issues related to the modernization of irrigation systems, the valuation of water resources, the introduction of high-value crops, access to financing, etc. In this regard, cooperation already exists with the ministries of territorial administration and infrastructures, economy.
The deputy minister expressed readiness for bilateral cooperation, particularly in the directions of comprehensive management of water resources, modernization of irrigation systems and reduction of water losses, implementation of water-saving technologies, and assured that the ministry will take all possible measures in terms of ensuring the effectiveness of cooperation in the bilateral priority sector.