BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

24/10/2006

Belarus wishes to participate in realization of Millennium Challenges Program in Armenia

Belarus is interested in the Millennium Challenge Program, realized in Armenia, aimed at reducing poverty in the country's rural areas; Byelorussian Prime Minister Sergey Sidorsky is quoted by Armenian governmental press office as stating during his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan; a REGNUM correspondent informs.

According to the prime minister, Belarus is going to participate in international tenders on realizing the program, and, thus, to try to be helpful to Armenia due to its abilities and experience in the sphere of infrastructural development and agriculture.

It is worth reminding; memorandum on realization of Millennium Challenges Program was signed between Armenian government and US the Millennium Challenge Program Corporation on March 27, 2006. According to the memorandum, the American side will grant $235mln to Armenia, aimed at poverty's reduction due to rural communities' development and economic development. 75% of rural population, i.e. 750,000 countrymen, will become immediate beneficiaries of investments, realized in frames of the agreement. As a result of the program's realization, poverty's level in the country will by decreased by 6%. The program with the whole budget of $236.5mln is planned to be realized according to following directions: restoration of rural roads ($67.1mln), program of 'irrigated agriculture' ($145.67mln), including agricultural stability's improvement ($32.42mln), monitoring and assessment ($5.08mln), the program's managing and control ($17.19mln). Armenia is going to receive the first program's allocations to the amount of $4.5mln in 2007.

Source:

http://www.regnum.ru/english/726439.html