
ArmInfo.On the 15th of March 2021, the official online launch event of the EU- and Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)- funded
Project "Environmental Protection of Lake Sevan" (EU4Sevan) kicked
off with participation of Mr. Romanos Petrosyan, the Minister of
Environment of RA, H.E. Ms. Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin, Head of the
European Union Delegation to Armenia, and H.E. Mr. Michael Johannes
Banzhaf, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to
Armenia.
As the press service of the EU Armenian Delegation informs,
the project is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur
Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) under the coordination of the Ministry
of Environment of RA.
EU4SEVAN project plans to enhance the capacities of public and
private stakeholders to ensure improved wastewater treatment through
nature-based solutions and to support the local stakeholders in
ecosystem- friendly and water-protecting land-use and cultivation.
Water monitoring and management capacities for the Lake Sevan
watershed will be one of the key outputs of the project. The project
intends to raise awareness about the significance of the protection
of Lake Sevan among the basin communities, the private sector, and
other stakeholders. In cooperation with UNDP, the project aims at
further and sustainable improvement of Lake Sevan ecosystem
governance in Armenia.
The Project launch event brought together the EU4SEVAN donors,
representatives of the national and Gegharkunik local government and
the diplomatic corpus in Armenia, public and private sector partners
and experts, as well as the media representatives to celebrate the
official start of the Project.
Minister Petrosyan, Ambassador Wiktorin, and Ambassador Banzhaf
welcomed all the participants. In her welcoming speech, the
Ambassador Wiktorin noted: "While addressing with the dual COVID-19
and post- war crises are the focus of our immediate efforts in
Armenia, climate change, biodiversity loss, excessive use of
resources and pollution are also existential and global emergencies
affecting both EU and Armenia. They are as relevant as ever.
Therefore, the full implementation of CEPA, the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, the Paris Climate Agreement and
internationally agreed biodiversity goals remain crucial to help
better equip Armenia and all Armenians for future systemic shocks.
The European Green Deal and its Green Recovery dimension are top
priorities in the EU-Armenia and Eastern Partnership agendas. This
new EU4Sevan partnership shows once again the strong EU-Armenia
engagement in the environmental protection of a unique Lake Sevan.
Together, let's protect and sustainably enjoy Lake Sevan!"
The participants were also warmly welcomed by Minister Petrosyan who
expressed his readiness to support the project future activities and
events as a reliable partner of the project. In her opening remarks
Ms. Mihaela Stojkoska, UNDP Resident Representative, highlighted the
relevance of the project at the current stage of the environmental
situation of Lake Sevan and emphasized the fruitful cooperation on
environmental issues of all the partner organizations. During the
event, Mr. Christian Henschel, GIZ Team Leader, EU4Sevan presented in
detail the goals, objectives, and expected results of the EU4SEVAN
project to protect the Lake. Mr. Henschel also highlighted the 5
Outputs through which the positive changes will be made for the Lake
Sevan. In addition to the key outputs of EU4SEVAN, the Project will
implement fast track activities aimed at neutralizing the economic
and social consequences of COVID-19 jointly with the Ministry of
Environment and "Restoration of Riparian Zones in Armenia" COVID-19
Response Project implemented by GIZ. The activities include the
planting of around 600,000 willow cuttings and fruit trees in the
riparian zones of a number of rivers in Gegharkunik as well as the
collection of waste from riverbeds and riverbank vicinities in Spring
2021 and ensuring short-term employment for 750 residents most
affected by the socio-economic consequences of COVID-19. Within the
COVID-19 fast response measures, the EU4SEVAN project is planning to
support local farmers in cultivating new varieties of cabbage on
around 3 ha area providing significantly 2-3 times more income for
local farmers, 2 times less water consumption through
ecosystem-friendly cultivation practices.
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