News - Papoyan, Natsvlishvili discuss chances of UNDP assisting in Armenia's sustainable development initiatives

Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan on Tuesday received the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Armenia, Natia Natsvlishvili,  informs the Ministry of Economy of Armenia. Papoyan noted that Armenia's cooperation with the UNDP is going very effectively, and expressed hope that the joint programs will continue. The minister briefly introduced the main provisions of the economic sector of the Armenian government's plan, the measures planned for their implementation, and talked about the respective reforms being implemented in Armenia. Also, Minister Papoyan informed that currently the Ministry of Economy of Armenia is developing the draft of the support program for start-ups and small entrepreneurs, which includes three components: an event for the development of entrepreneurial skills, an event for preferential lending for small businesses, and an event for providing an umbrella guarantee. In this context, the parties discussed how the UNDP can support entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups. Reference was also made to the possibility of implementing joint programs aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs of Armenia, and promoting programs aimed at developing financial literacy skills of young and female entrepreneurs in the provinces of the country. Papoyan emphasized the importance of the role of women in the economy. The programs and initiatives being implemented by the UNDP in rural communities were also discussed, highlighting the implementation of the agricultural support program in three villages of Armenia’s Syunik Province. Armenia's economic growth strategies and how the UNDP can assist the country’s sustainable development initiatives were discussed, too. The parties conferred also about potential UNDP assistance for Armenia’s environmental sustainability projects such as renewable energy, waste management, and conservation. During the meeting, the parties talked also about human resource development—educational and training support programs—in Armenia’s tourism sector. At the end of the meeting, the parties highlighted the importance of ensuring the continuity of current programs and the implementation of joint new projects.