ADB: Asian Development Bank will continue to participate in the  implementation of programs in Armenia in the next five years

ArmInfo. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a reliable and stable partner for the  Armenian government. Minister of Territorial Administration and  Development of Armenia Suren Papikyan stated yesterday, when he  received the ADB delegation led by the Director of the ADB Central  and West Asia Department Werner Liepach.

According to the press service of the department, Paolo Spantigati,  the newly appointed head of the ADB Yerevan office, also took part in  the meeting.

During the meeting, the parties discussed a broad agenda of  multilateral cooperation between the Government of Armenia and the  Bank. The Minister congratulated Paolo Spantigati on the beginning of  his mission, assuring that the Armenian side is ready to continue  cooperation with the Bank in various areas.  Suren Papikyan stressed  that Armenia is expanding and deepening cooperation with ADB. "This  is especially important now, because the executive branch has set  itself a serious task to raising the infrastructure to a  qualitatively new level, which is reflected in the five-year  development program, "the minister said. Referring to a number of  joint projects aimed at improving seismic safety and road  infrastructure, the minister emphasized that successful experience in  their implementation can serve as the basis for identifying areas of  cooperation in the field of energy and natural resources management.

Suren Papikyan drew the attention of the interlocutors to meeting the  deadlines, established in the program for improving seismic safety in  schools, as well as on road construction programs, stating that RA  government has invested huge funds over the past year to road  infrastructure, not only through loans, but also from public funds.  Only within the framework of budget financing, it is planned to  modernize 500 km of roads.  In turn, Werner Liepach confirmed the  Bank's readiness to assist in the implementation of comprehensive  infrastructure development programs in Armenia. Noting the successful  results achieved in these areas, Werner Liepach noted that a new  strategy for cooperation with Armenia has already been approved,  which indicates how ADB will participate in the implementation of  these programs over the next five years.  Werner Liepach also  emphasized the importance of problem solving in several road  construction projects and emphasized that ADB is also interested in  ensuring the continuity and successful completion of these projects.  "We are ready to continue the program, together overcoming all  difficulties," he said.  The parties also discussed issues related to  the further development of investment programs for the development of  small cities, the proportional development of territories and the  expansion of public-private partnerships.  Armenia joined ADB in 2005  and is part of a group of countries with mixed (concessional and  conventional) financing. ADB works to reduce poverty in the  Asia-Pacific region by stimulating economic growth and regional  integration. In the field of transport, ADB continues to assist  Armenia in the construction of the North-South transport corridor, as  well as in strengthening transport links between cities with high  poverty levels. According to statistics on the bank's website, at the  end of 2017, ADB implemented 52 projects in Armenia for a total of $  1.32 billion, of which $ 635 million was allocated for the  development of transport infrastructure, $ 172 million for urban  infrastructure and water supply, $ 152 million for finance, $ 142  million in energy, $ 140 million in administrative management.