ArmInfo. Armenian Internet Governance Forum (ArmIGF) finished its work in Yerevan yesterday. The forum has been held for the second time organized by the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Armenia, Internet Governance Council and Internet Society of Armenia NGO (ISOC AM).

ArmInfo. The Armenian Institute of Directors (AIOD), a non-governmental organization, has signed a Framework Cooperation Agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. Within the framework of the agreement, AIOD and IFC have agreed to cooperate in promoting good corporate governance (CG) practices in the Europe and Central Asia region to help companies improve their performance, sustainability, and access to finance.

ArmInfo. ACBA-Credit Agricole  Bank has already held 36 business seminars involving over 400  businessmen from 250 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).  The  press office of the Bank has told ArmInfo that the next business  seminar will be held on 3-4 October 2016.   

ArmInfo. As Amulsar project proceeds to a new stage of construction the company has taken a decision to rename the fully owned Armenian subsidiary of Lydian International previously called Geoteam to Lydian Armenia.

ArmInfo. Lydian International Limited (TSX:LYD) ("Lydian" or "the Company") has announced that the Board of Directors of the Company approved the terms of a proposed non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of ordinary 
shares of the Company to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the "EBRD") on July 21. Under the terms of the proposed Private Placement, the EBRD will subscribe for an aggregate of 33,500,000 ordinary shares of the Company at a price of C$0.34 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of C$11,390,000. The funds will be used to finance the Environmental and Social Mitigation Measures (ESMM) undertaken as part of the Amulsar Gold Project in Armenia. 

ArmInfo. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is partnering with IAB International Academy of Business to help Armenian banks strengthen risk management systems, so that they continue providing much-needed finance to businesses, amid the challenges in operating environment, the press office of IFC has told ArmInfo. 

ArmInfo. For the fourth time Ameriabank has been granted Euromoney Award for Excellence - this time as the best bank in Armenia in 2016. The press service of the bank reports that the awarding ceremony took place in London on July  7.  For already 25 years the prestigious awards are granted to banks, brokers and dealers based on analysis carried out by Euromoney experts in over 164 countries. The Awards for Excellence are given in 20 banking- and capital market-related categories.

ArmInfo. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to invest up to CAD 10.5 million to purchase Lydian International's shares as part of its capital increase. The funds will be used to finance the Environmental and Social Mitigation Measures (ESMM) undertaken as part of the Amulsar Gold Project in Armenia.

ArmInfo.  As of today we have a project which received positive expert opinion from the Armenia's Ministry of Nature Protection and we are ready to launch construction activities", Senior Manager on Sustainable Development at Geoteam CJSC Armen Stepanyan told journalists during the presentation of the International Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the Amulsar program, which knows no equals on the territory of Armenia. 

ArmInfo. Inecobank CJSC was named "Best Trade Partner Bank" in 2015 at IFC's 7th Global Trade Partners Meeting, which took place in Milan, Italy, in February 2016. The Best Trade Partner Bank WCSS Award recognizes Inecobank's major contribution to IFC's trade finance programs in Armenia, the press-service of Inecobank reports. 

ArmInfo. On March 18, the Minister of Economy of RA received the delegation headed by the Regional Manager of South Caucasus of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Jan van Bilsen.

ArmInfo.  Lydian International Limited (100% owner of Geoteam CJSC) has announced that International Finance Corporation (IFC) has proposed to invest 40 million USD in the Amulsar construction financing arrangement. 

ArmInfo.  On February 11, the Armenian Government approved an action plan for 2016 to improve the business environment in Armenia. Armenian Minister of Economy Karen Chshmarityan said that the action plan is annually approved by the Government and aims to improve the business environment and Armenia's Doing Business indicators. The action plan concerns 12 ministries and implies a total of 29 events. As a result, Armenia can raise its rating from the 34th to the 24th position. 

ArmInfo. On January 21 Ameriabank signed two largest in the region deals with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is a member of WB. The Chairman of the Board of Directors at Ameriabank Andrew Mkrtchyan and Nick Tesseyman, EBRD Managing Director, Financial Institutions signed the first deal. The second deal with IFC was signed by Andrew Mkrtchyan and Jan van Bilsen, IFC Regional Manager for the South Cacuasus. 

ArmInfo. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is providing a $50 million subordinated loan to Ameriabank, the largest bank in Armenia, to support its capital and boost its capacity to lend to local enterprises, expanding access to finance and helping drive economic growth and job creation.

ArmInfo. Pioneer and one of the consumer lending leaders on the Armenian market, INECOBANK will shortly become one of the largest financial institutions of Armenia. To attain that goal, the Bank has settled the problem of capitalization successfully and effectively. To meet the Armenian Central Bank’s requirement that comes into effect in 2017, the Bank has recently increased its capital by acquiring the Armenian subsidiary of the German ProCredit Bank and attracted the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) – a reliable partner and institutional investor as a stakeholder. In an interview with ArmInfo, Chairman of the Management Board of INECOBANK Taron Ganjalyan speaks of the merger and further development strategy of the Bank.

ArmInfo. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is making an equity investment of AMD 9.8 billion (equivalent to US$ 20.3 million) for up to 22.7 per cent of shares in Inecobank, a specialist MSME and retail bank in Armenia.  Inecobank will use the proceeds of the EBRD investment to finance the acquisition of ProCredit Bank Armenia, another local bank oriented towards micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The merged bank will become a leading MSME lender in the country, serving over 10,000 businesses and 200,000 individuals.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.  The International Finance Corporation (IFC) supports consolidation of Armenian banks to boost SME lending. The Corporation's press office has told ArmInfo that IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is providing a $20 million loan to Armenian Inecobank to support its acquisition of ProCredit Bank Armenia, promoting the first market-driven consolidation in Armenia's banking sector and boosting access to finance for small and medium enterprises. Further information will be presented at the Dec 10 event. 

ArmInfo. Lydian International Ltd (UK) has signed a $325 mln agreement with the financial and investment funds to finance the development of the Amulsar gold mine in Armenia, Armenian Minister of Economy Karen Chshmarityan said before the Government's meeting on Thursday.