The KfW project on Promoting the protection of biodiversity in  Armenia and protected areas  will be led by the new head - Alvaro  Beriel

ArmInfo.A meeting was held at  the Ministry of Nature Protection in Armenia within the participation of   the Minister of Nature Protection completing  his mission, the head  of KfW programs on environmental protection Andreas Veitsel, and his successor in this post, Alvaro Berielo.

At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Artsvik Minasyan and  Andreas Veitsel signed an agreement on the implementation of the  energy security program in 4 communities near the Shikaohh reserve.  To this end, KfW will allocate $ 8.25 million in grant funds, which  will be used to promote programs to conserve biodiversity in Armenia  and protect protected areas.

Minister A. Minasyan awarded Andreas Veitsel the RA golden  medal  "For a significant contribution to the sphere of nature protection".  A. Minasyan, having greeted the new head of the program, Alvaro  Beriel, expressed his confidence that the joint work will not only be  effective, but will also become exemplary.  A.Veytsel, thanking for  the high appreciation of his work, noted that it is difficult for him  to leave Armenia, especially at the start of an important stage of  effective cooperation in the protection of protected areas, but since  his mission to the Republic of Armenia was completed, he wished his  success to his successor Alvaro Beriel . "We have always attached  special importance to cooperation with Armenia, and at the moment the  third generation program under the working title" The Biodiversity  Assistance Program in Armenia "is aimed at further development and  improvement of the management system for protection of forests and  protected areas," A.Veytsel noted.

During the meeting, the parties discussed issues related to the  structure and content of the program to promote the conservation of  biodiversity in Armenia and the protection of protected areas. The  Minister stressed the importance of full implementation of the  program, as it is of a continuing nature and is a priority among  government programs. A. Minasyan paid special attention to the social  component of this program, as the envisaged development of the  adjacent communities will have a positive impact on improving the  regime for the protection of reserves.

At the culmination of the discussions, an agreement was reached on  further joint steps to implement programs to conserve biodiversity in  Armenia and protect protected areas.To, recall  KfW is one of the  major donors of Armenia. KfW's investments for the last 20 years  amounted to about 500 million euros for 14 programs, including in the  field of SMEs, agricultural sector, energy complex, ecology and in  the financial and banking sector. Armenia's external debt to the Bank  on January 1, 2017. Amounted to $ 200.4 million (4.2% of the total  external debt of the RA) with an annual growth of 5.5%. According to  the National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia, the  volume of Germany's investments in the real sector of the Armenian  economy as of April 1, 2017 exceeded $ 688 million (of which almost $  187 million is FDI), and taking into account repayments, about $ 143  million (of which about $ 66 million is FDI) .  Germany holds the  second position in terms of investments in the real sector of the  Armenian economy.