French FM visits Vedi reservoir construction site 

ArmInfo. Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Stephane Sejourne, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, visited the Vedi reservoir, which is being built with the loan funds of the French Development Agency and the co-financing of the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

The Ministers reviewed the progress of the construction of the  reservoir. The strategic importance of the project in the context of  strengthening Armenia's resilience was emphasized.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan noted: "The partnership  between Armenia and France is actively developing in all directions.  Here we are witnessing one of its very specific, tangible results."

During the visit, the significant positive impact of the project on  economic development in the community, engagement of additional water  resources and increasing the efficiency of water management,  improvement of water supply to irrigated lands, as well as on the  environment and tourism were touched upon.

On January 26, 2016, the French Development Agency allocated a loan  of 75 million euros to the Republic of Armenia to finance the  construction of the Vedi reservoir (co-financing by the RA government  will be 15 million euros), within the framework of which it is  planned to build a reservoir with a volume of 29.4 cubic meters and a  water surface of 120 hectares. The sources of water will be the  rivers of the Ararat region - Vedi and Khosrov. It was noted that the  full implementation of the program will make it possible to alleviate  the water shortage in the Ararat Valley, as well as switch from  mechanical irrigation to a gravity supply system, which, in turn,  will lead to energy savings. As a result of the program, water intake  from Lake Sevan will be reduced by 19 million cubic meters, and the  area of irrigated land will increase by about 300 hectares. After the  reservoir is used, 11 pump stations will be shut down, and another 3  - partially, the annual savings will amount to about 1 billion drams  or 19 million kWh of electricity. Losses of intra-grid facilities  will be reduced by 20-25%. The program was originally planned to be  completed within four years.

The construction of the reservoir is of great strategic importance  for Armenia. Turkey has previously announced its plans to build large  reservoirs on the Araks, which carries risks for the Armenian side in  the form of a shortage of irrigation water. Armenia cannot completely  mitigate such risks, but the reservoir in Vedi will help mitigate the  consequences of Turkish water expansion. As of the end of May 2021,  the program was 71% completed: a 36-kilometer pipeline was built,  starting from the irrigation canal of the Vedi reservoir, through  which water will reach irrigated lands of 3,220 hectares. As reported  by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure,  projects have been developed for the reconstruction of the on-farm  irrigation network for 4,000 hectares. Water intake units have been  built on the Vedi and Khosrov rivers, and a 10.5 km long pipeline has  been installed. The project was supposed to be completed in 2022, but  the deadlines have been postponed several times.