As of 2019, Armenian citizens will have access to more reliable information about the quality of the country’s water resources. This will be possible thanks to support provided by the EU.
In conjunction with the European Union Water Initiative Plus for the Eastern Partnership (EUWI+ 4 EaP) programme, an agreement on equipment procurement was signed between the Environment Agency of Austria, one of the EUWI+ implementing partners, and Armenia’s Ministry of Nature Protection. The first delivery is planned for spring 2019.
The total investment in laboratory infrastructure will be around €600,000. In addition, a cooperation agreement was signed with France’s Artois-Picardie Water Agency to help Armenia in the field of water data collection, institutional strengthening, the use of economic instruments and the development of stakeholders’ involvement in water resources management.
Piotr Świtalski, the EU Ambassador to Armenia, noted that water management is one of the areas where the EU is focusing on providing tangible benefits for citizens. He added that the strengthening of laboratory and monitoring capacities under EUWI+ will help Armenia to progress towards a systematic use of international best practices, notably the EU Water Framework Directive.
