ARMENIA REGISTERS POSITIVE `MIGRATION BALANCE'
By Anna Saghabalian
Armenia's migration agency has posted data suggesting that the country
has seen a positive `migration balance' in the past three years.
Gagik Yeganian, Head of the Government-affiliated Department for
Migration and Refugee Affairs, told RFE/RL that currently Armenia has
more arrivals than people departing from the country.
According to him, while emigration, or the number of people leaving the
country, steadily exceeded the number of visitors by some 40,000 in the
late 1990s up until 2002, the situation has changed since.
The first positive `arrival-departure' balance was registered in 2004
when the number of people coming to Armenia exceeded the number of those
leaving the country by 2,718. The `positive balance' in the following
year made 12,000 people to reach 21,500 in 2006. Yeganian says the
growth tendency is observed this year as well.
Yeganian says despite the absence of complete data they can say with
confidence that some of those arriving in Armenia are former emigrants
and some of them return to their homeland to stay here.
The migration agency has also observed a significant year-on-year growth
-- within the limits of 15-18 percent -- of the volumes of passenger
transportation. According to Yeganian, this growth in the six months of
this year made 36 percent.
ARMENIAN FARMERS TO BE TRAINED UNDER U.S. AID PROGRAM
By Shakeh Avoyan
A local office overseeing the implementation of a multimillion U.S. aid
package has completed the selection of rural communities whose farmers
will be trained in how to manage their agribusinesses in a more
efficient way.
The Millennium Challenge Account ` Armenia (MCA-Armenia) on Wednesday
selected the timing during which villages will participate in the
training component of its Water-to-Market Activity.
The Water-to-Market Activity, implemented by ACDI/VOCA, Arcadis
Euroconsult, and their local partner VISTAA Plus, focuses primarily on
providing training to help farmers transition to more profitable,
market-oriented agriculture. The training programs within this activity
will prepare 60,000 farmers over a period of five years.
The training program is part of the $236 million Compact that the
Armenian government signed with the U.S. Government's Millennium
Challenge Corporation in March 2006
U.S. Charge d'Affaires Rudolf Perina said the MCA-Armenia has the goal
of reducing poverty in rural communities through ensuring a stable
economic growth.
`Armenia plans to achieve this goal through a five-year program of
strategic investments in rural roads, irrigation infrastructure and
technical and financial assistance to improve the supply of water and to
support farmers,' Perina said in his remarks.
Villages to be provided with training in the second, third, fourth and
fifth year of the program were grouped by regions and the Water User
Associations in which they are members. A total of 120 village clusters
-- usually one, two or three villages grouped together based on
geography and agricultural conditions -- were selected for year 2008, 77
for years 2009 and 2010, and 80 for 2011. A total of 69 village clusters
were included in the pilot phase. An additional 82 village clusters have
been identified as currently having inadequate water. They are expected
to be become eligible as water improves through irrigation
rehabilitation efforts.
To ensure fairness and transparency, random selection of the communities
was determined to be the best method.
Deputy Minister of Local Government Vache Terterian expressed his
satisfaction with the selection process, which he described as
transparent.
`It is a normal modern way of selection. It is important that all
communities are clustered primarily based on certain criteria,' he
said.
Representatives of village communities attending the selection process
expressed their satisfaction as well.
However, Farmers' Movement NGO president Sargis Sedrakian thinks
villagers need more tangible assistance than trainings today.
`Villagers are tired of advice and trainings, they want concrete
assistance in the form of technical means and equipment,' he said.
`Training is also important, but there are many problems that come
first.'
Sedrakian fears the Millennium Challenge funds will be wastes or at best
will benefit the local `feudalists'.
Vanik Soghomonian, one of the many farmers selected for the training,
admits he is a feudalist. `But only if a feudalist means a businessman
who creates something and provides people with well-paid jobs,' he
explains.
By Anna Saghabalian
Armenia's migration agency has posted data suggesting that the country
has seen a positive `migration balance' in the past three years.
Gagik Yeganian, Head of the Government-affiliated Department for
Migration and Refugee Affairs, told RFE/RL that currently Armenia has
more arrivals than people departing from the country.
According to him, while emigration, or the number of people leaving the
country, steadily exceeded the number of visitors by some 40,000 in the
late 1990s up until 2002, the situation has changed since.
The first positive `arrival-departure' balance was registered in 2004
when the number of people coming to Armenia exceeded the number of those
leaving the country by 2,718. The `positive balance' in the following
year made 12,000 people to reach 21,500 in 2006. Yeganian says the
growth tendency is observed this year as well.
Yeganian says despite the absence of complete data they can say with
confidence that some of those arriving in Armenia are former emigrants
and some of them return to their homeland to stay here.
The migration agency has also observed a significant year-on-year growth
-- within the limits of 15-18 percent -- of the volumes of passenger
transportation. According to Yeganian, this growth in the six months of
this year made 36 percent.
ARMENIAN FARMERS TO BE TRAINED UNDER U.S. AID PROGRAM
By Shakeh Avoyan
A local office overseeing the implementation of a multimillion U.S. aid
package has completed the selection of rural communities whose farmers
will be trained in how to manage their agribusinesses in a more
efficient way.
The Millennium Challenge Account ` Armenia (MCA-Armenia) on Wednesday
selected the timing during which villages will participate in the
training component of its Water-to-Market Activity.
The Water-to-Market Activity, implemented by ACDI/VOCA, Arcadis
Euroconsult, and their local partner VISTAA Plus, focuses primarily on
providing training to help farmers transition to more profitable,
market-oriented agriculture. The training programs within this activity
will prepare 60,000 farmers over a period of five years.
The training program is part of the $236 million Compact that the
Armenian government signed with the U.S. Government's Millennium
Challenge Corporation in March 2006
U.S. Charge d'Affaires Rudolf Perina said the MCA-Armenia has the goal
of reducing poverty in rural communities through ensuring a stable
economic growth.
`Armenia plans to achieve this goal through a five-year program of
strategic investments in rural roads, irrigation infrastructure and
technical and financial assistance to improve the supply of water and to
support farmers,' Perina said in his remarks.
Villages to be provided with training in the second, third, fourth and
fifth year of the program were grouped by regions and the Water User
Associations in which they are members. A total of 120 village clusters
-- usually one, two or three villages grouped together based on
geography and agricultural conditions -- were selected for year 2008, 77
for years 2009 and 2010, and 80 for 2011. A total of 69 village clusters
were included in the pilot phase. An additional 82 village clusters have
been identified as currently having inadequate water. They are expected
to be become eligible as water improves through irrigation
rehabilitation efforts.
To ensure fairness and transparency, random selection of the communities
was determined to be the best method.
Deputy Minister of Local Government Vache Terterian expressed his
satisfaction with the selection process, which he described as
transparent.
`It is a normal modern way of selection. It is important that all
communities are clustered primarily based on certain criteria,' he
said.
Representatives of village communities attending the selection process
expressed their satisfaction as well.
However, Farmers' Movement NGO president Sargis Sedrakian thinks
villagers need more tangible assistance than trainings today.
`Villagers are tired of advice and trainings, they want concrete
assistance in the form of technical means and equipment,' he said.
`Training is also important, but there are many problems that come
first.'
Sedrakian fears the Millennium Challenge funds will be wastes or at best
will benefit the local `feudalists'.
Vanik Soghomonian, one of the many farmers selected for the training,
admits he is a feudalist. `But only if a feudalist means a businessman
who creates something and provides people with well-paid jobs,' he
explains.
Porterfield battles to lead Armenia
Wednesday 15 August 2007
Wednesday 15 August 2007
Having named his squad for the qualifier Coach Ian
Porterfield is hoping to lead Armenia against Portugal
despite currently receiving cancer treatment in
England.
The 61-year-old Scotsman left Armenia two months ago
to receive treatment for a cancerous growth in his
intestines but said that he is determined to return to
the Armenian capital for Wednesday's game as his side
seek a third successive UEFA EURO 2008' qualifying
win. "I want to be with my team and to try to fight
against such strong opponents despite everything,' he
said. `Portugal are one of the leading forces in
European football but can play our game."
Porterfield's 22-man squad includes two changes, with
FC Ararat defender Hrajr Mkoyan receiving a first
call-up while FC MIKA goalkeeper Felix Hakobyan
replaces the injured Gevorg Kasparov.
Armenia squad
Goalkeepers: Roman Berezovski (FC Khimki), Felix
Hakobyan (FC MIKA).
Defenders: Robert Arzumanyan (FC Pyunik), Karen
Dokhoyan (FC Pyunik), Sargis Hovsepyan (FC Pyunik),
Aleksander Tadevosyan (FC Pyunik), Vahagn Minasyan (FC
Ararat Yerevan), Hrajr Mkoyan (FC Ararat Yerevan),
Yegishe Melikyan (FC Banants), Ararat Arakelyan (FC
Banants).
Midfielders: Hamlet Mkhitaryan (FC Pyunik), Romik
Khachatryan (AFC Unirea Valahorum Urziceni), Artavazd
Karamyan (FCU Politehnica Timisoara), Levon Pchajyan
(FC Pyunik), Artur Minasyan (FC Ararat Yerevan), Artur
Voskanyan (FC Ararat Yerevan), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (FC
Pyunik), Samvel Melkonyan (FC Banants), Agvan
Mkrtchyan (FC Pyunik).
Forwards: Arman Karamyan (FCU Politehnica Timisoara),
Aram Hakobyan (FC Banants), Gevorg Ghazaryan (FC
Pyunik), Robert Zebelyan (FC Khimki).
Porterfield is hoping to lead Armenia against Portugal
despite currently receiving cancer treatment in
England.
The 61-year-old Scotsman left Armenia two months ago
to receive treatment for a cancerous growth in his
intestines but said that he is determined to return to
the Armenian capital for Wednesday's game as his side
seek a third successive UEFA EURO 2008' qualifying
win. "I want to be with my team and to try to fight
against such strong opponents despite everything,' he
said. `Portugal are one of the leading forces in
European football but can play our game."
Porterfield's 22-man squad includes two changes, with
FC Ararat defender Hrajr Mkoyan receiving a first
call-up while FC MIKA goalkeeper Felix Hakobyan
replaces the injured Gevorg Kasparov.
Armenia squad
Goalkeepers: Roman Berezovski (FC Khimki), Felix
Hakobyan (FC MIKA).
Defenders: Robert Arzumanyan (FC Pyunik), Karen
Dokhoyan (FC Pyunik), Sargis Hovsepyan (FC Pyunik),
Aleksander Tadevosyan (FC Pyunik), Vahagn Minasyan (FC
Ararat Yerevan), Hrajr Mkoyan (FC Ararat Yerevan),
Yegishe Melikyan (FC Banants), Ararat Arakelyan (FC
Banants).
Midfielders: Hamlet Mkhitaryan (FC Pyunik), Romik
Khachatryan (AFC Unirea Valahorum Urziceni), Artavazd
Karamyan (FCU Politehnica Timisoara), Levon Pchajyan
(FC Pyunik), Artur Minasyan (FC Ararat Yerevan), Artur
Voskanyan (FC Ararat Yerevan), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (FC
Pyunik), Samvel Melkonyan (FC Banants), Agvan
Mkrtchyan (FC Pyunik).
Forwards: Arman Karamyan (FCU Politehnica Timisoara),
Aram Hakobyan (FC Banants), Gevorg Ghazaryan (FC
Pyunik), Robert Zebelyan (FC Khimki).
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