ArmInfo.The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) again appealed to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with an appeal to support the new Millennium Challenge Corporation grant for Armenia. The grant will allow Armenian youth within the framework of the educational program in the field of natural sciences, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) for public schools in the country to receive $ 1 40 million, which, in turn, will expand their opportunities in terms of obtaining high-quality education.
According to ANCA reported to ArmInfo, ANCA chairman Raffi Hambarian asked the secretary of state to review the financial analysis carried out by the World Bank, which classified Armenia as a middle-income country. "This very controversial definition leads to the fact that Armenia does not fit the criteria of the corporation, since poverty reigns outside Yerevan, especially in the regions of the republic," Hambarian emphasized.
The organization also reminded that this issue had already been addressed to Pompeo in May this year, and the latter expressed hope that the Armenian government would make progress with regard to the eligibility criteria of the corporation this year, in which case the board of directors could consider Armenia during the annual selection countries for the grant.
The organization also emphasized that ANCA is in favor of providing Armenia with a STEAM grant from Millennium Challenge Corporation, recalling that neighboring Georgia recently received such an opportunity, and more than $ 75 million will be allocated from the corporation to improve Georgia's school infrastructure, $ 30 million for STEAM educational projects. , $ 15 million for vocational education programs.
Millennium Challenge Corporation is an innovative and independent US foreign affairs agency that helps combat poverty in the world. It was created by the US Congress in January 2004 with the active support of both parties.