YEREVAN. - A consultation on the 2016-2025 draft strategy of Armenian territorial development took place in the Armenian government Wednesday. The meeting, presided by Armenian PM Hovik Abrahamyan, was also attended by the Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Piotr Świtalski, a number of EU representatives, experts and heads of agencies concerned.   

Minister of Armenia’s Territorial Administration and Development, Davit Lokyan, introduced in detail the 2016-2025 draft strategy of Armenian territorial development, the main goals of the document, its principles and expected results.

In Lokyan’s words, the main strategic goal is to raise the compatibility in all the provinces, considering their internal potential and allowing more expansive integration with national and international economies. Besides, according to him, it is necessary to ensure high-level proportionality in the regions, attaching special attention to the most poorly developed regions and border communities.

The Minister also noted that among the key objectives is also the improvement of territorial development policy and practice on the basis of sustainable use of resources in the development planning and implementation processes.

 

 

 

Apart from this, Lokyan informed that the draft strategy was developed jointly with the EU. The first practical project of territorial development will be drawn out in 2016-2017 and be implemented in 2017-2020, he added.

For his part, PM Hovik Abrahamyan attached importance to the presented document, whose implementation, according to him, will contribute to the proportional territorial development.

Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Piotr Świtalski underscored the importance of the draft strategy, welcoming the government’s policy aimed at the development of communities.   The EU Ambassador noted that the EU is ready to provide additional financial support to Armenia for the implementation of the projects aimed at territorial development.