MCC CEO to visit Armenia May 3-5May 2, 2011 - 11:14 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Mr. Daniel W. Yohannes, will visit Armenia May 3-5 to review the results of the five year, U.S.-funded MCA-Armenia Program. During his visit he will meet with President Serzh Sargsian, senior officials of the government of Armenia, farmer beneficiaries, donor partners, and private sector and civil society representatives, the U.S. embassy to Yerevan said. In 2006, the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the government of the Republic of Armenia signed a Compact with the objective of reducing rural poverty through a sustainable increase in the economic performance of the agricultural sector. When completed in September 2011, the MCC grant investment of nearly USD 180 million in the MCA-Armenia program will benefit over 420,000 rural residents in around 350 communities across Armenia by refurbishing major sections of the country’s main canal systems, modernizing some of the most urgently needed pumping stations, introducing new gravity irrigation schemes, re-building tertiary canals and restoring sections of the Ararat Valley Drainage system. The MCA-Armenia program is also training nearly 45,000 farmers in improved agriculture practices, delivering technical assistance to water supply institutions, and providing USD 8.5 million in credit to farmers and small agribusinesses in support of the program objectives. MCC is an innovative U.S. foreign aid agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |