ArmInfo. Today the Regional Development Conference 'Armenian Regions Benefiting from Strategic Planning and Comprehensive RD Projects' took place, the press-service of the EU Delegation to Armenia informs. The Conference covered the following issues: the review of ongoing and planned reforms in Regional Development, including national and regional level strategic planning processes; grants signing ceremony for regional projects funded by the EU and the Government of Armenia, with value over 9 million EUR, which will aim at improving the socio-economic situation in regions.
EU Ambassador Piotr Antoni Switalski said: "We support the Armenian Government and all stakeholders engaged in intensive regional development reforms, leading towards stronger regional societies and economies across the country. We congratulate all the winning projects of this tough competition and the Government of Armenia, and wish them success in their challenging tasks. The RD Grant Scheme will not only support development of regions, raise their economic competitiveness, reduce tendencies of outward migration, but it will also demonstrate the new EU-inspired approach to regional development in Armenia, through integrating human capital, innovation, inclusion, and infrastructures with a territorial focus".
To recall, earlier in an interview to ArmInfo Head of EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski noted that 2016 was a record year in the context of providing financial assistance to Armenia from the EU. The assistance amounted to nearly 50 mln EUR. According to him, EU intends to double this amount. This is an important year in the context of defining medium-term and long-term prospects, he stressed.
