ArmInfo. On March 20, the Government of Armenia approved a proposal to introduce the first amendment to the grant agreement between the Republic of Armenia, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association .
As stated in the explanatory note to the document, the grant agreement was signed on May 22, 2024. It is aimed at implementing a number of commitments and policies adopted by the Government of the Republic of Armenia in the field of environmental protection, in particular, in the context of biodiversity conservation, reclamation of abandoned and unclaimed mines, reforestation and regulation of the relevant legislative framework.
The total budget of the Agreement is $9.1 million. The total amount of funds available at the time of signing the Agreement was $6,946,863. The program is included in the state budget of Armenia for 2025 in the amount of 679.6 million drams (co-financing is not required).
The proposed amendment provides for the introduction of the first amendment to the Agreement, a, the amount allocated by the multi-donor trust fund should be increased to $2,506,748 from $1,496,863>, - the document says.
In May 2024, it was reported that the World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved the program (RESILAND Armenia), which will help the government of the republic strengthen community participation and improve the management of forests, wetlands and protected areas in some areas of the country. As reported by the press service of the World Bank, the program, which received support in the amount of $ 5.45 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and a grant of $ 3.65 million, co-financed by the Government of Sweden, is also aimed at improving the institutional framework for sustainable landscape management. The goal of the project is to expand the area under sustainable management, mitigate forest fragmentation, increase tree cover density and improve the management of abandoned wetlands. In addition to the above goals, the program will stimulate sustainable economic activity and the creation of environmentally sustainable jobs in selected rural communities. New and restored forests and wetlands will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the country's resilience to the impacts of climate change. The RESILAND Armenia program is a component of the joint efforts of the World Bank and the Government of Armenia to support the country's sustainable development goals and transition to a green economy. The Climate and Development Report, which is currently being developed by the World Bank in cooperation with the Government of Armenia, as well as the GREEN Armenia platform and the Green, Sustainable and Inclusive Development Policy Operation of Armenia, are the result of joint efforts that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate climate adaptation.