Armenia to receive €26.2 million grant from Germany to develop biodiversity

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YEREVAN, July 15. /ARKA/. Armenia will receive a €26.2 million grant from Germany to improve its biodiversity and sustainable local development, the country’s Environment Ministry reported on Monday./pp

Deputy Minister of Environment Aram Seymaryan and Director of the Armenian branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Karen Manvelyan signed a consulting agreement./pp

The program, based on an agreement signed in 2018 between Armenia and the German bank KfW, will span six years./pp

The grant will fund the creation of two protected reserves: one in the Tatev National Park in the Syunik province, and another reserve with a location yet to be confirmed, options including the Vayots Dzor province or any of the provinces in northern Armenia. Additionally, Armenia's Red Book will be updated, and management plans for the Khosrov Reserve, Lake Arpi, and the Dilijan National Park will be renewed./pp

The program is also expected to introduce staff retraining, new monitoring systems, and several ecotourism development projects. The initiative will also support small businesses in the communities located nearby the reserves./p br