Results of 12-year negotiations: GIZ, KfW to open local offices in  Armenia

ArmInfo. GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation) and the KfW German development bank  will open local offices in Armenia. The corresponding agreement was  signed on March 2 by Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan and  Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Armenia .  Viktor Richter.

The Minister noted that this agreement opens a new page in the  relations between Armenia and Germany.  He emphasized that the  offices will, in fact, have the status of diplomatic representations.  , he said.

The Minister also noted that GIZ and KfW are the most active  institutions operating in Armenia.  In particular, he noted that the  Bank is the largest creditor in the country, implementing numerous  projects in the field of infrastructure development, energy,  construction of reservoirs, etc. In this regard, Kerobyan recalled 2  major projects funded by KfW for the construction of the Kaps  Reservoir and power lines from Armenia to Georgia. "We hope that  these projects will soon enter the workflow," the head of the state  department said.  In turn, German Ambassador to Armenia added that  over 25 years of cooperation with Armenia, the Bank has provided  loans in the amount of 1.2 billion euros, which were used to  implement programs in the field of water supply, energy,  biodiversity, etc.

Speaking about GIZ, Vahan Kerobyan noted that the Organization's  cooperation with Armenia is multi- sectoral. GIZ, according to him,  provided assistance to Armenia in the field of tourism, innovation,  agriculture, etc. . At the same time, the minister drew attention to  the fact that the programs implemented in Armenia with the support of  the latter have a positive impact on the well-being of people and  areas where these interventions are carried out.  The planned opening  of permanent offices of GIZ and KfW in Armenia was announced in the  summer of 2022 during a joint press conference of Vahan Kerobyan and  the Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany,  Svenja Schulze . Negotiations on opening representative offices in  Armenia lasted 12 years.  After signing, the agreement must be  ratified by the National Assembly.