PM does not exclude Armenia’s participation in Millennium Challenges Fund’s programs

YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS:To become a beneficiary of the Millennium Challenges Corporation, Armenia needs to improve only the indicator of the struggle against the corruption. This was stated by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan in the interview given to the Radio Liberty, emphasizing that all the other indicators have been already achieved by Armenia.

Tigran Sargsyan noted that the works of the Millennium Challenges Corporation carried out in the Republic of Armenia were considered by Washington to be the best in the world they have implemented. “The used financial funds gave positive result”, - said the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan.

The Armenian program of the Millennium Challenges Corporation was completed in 2011. Over the 5 year period (September 2006-September 2011) the Millennium Challenge Account - Armenia (MCA-Armenia) program benefited more than 400,000 rural residents in around 350 communities across Armenia by refurbishing major sections of the country's main canal systems, modernizing some of the most urgently needed pumping stations, introducing new gravity irrigation schemes, re-building tertiary canals and restoring sections of the Ararat Valley Drainage system.

The MCA-Armenia program was also training nearly 45,000 farmers in improved farming practices, delivering technical assistance to water supply institutions and providing 8.5 million USD in credit to farmers and small agribusinesses in support of the program objectives. Millennium Challenge Corporation's investment of nearly USD 177 million in the irrigation and agricultural sectors of Armenia was critical to the development of the country's agriculture and overall economy and the livelihoods of farmers and agribusinesses.