S.t. On July 12, the 5th "Coordinating Council meeting" of the "Environmental Protection of Lake Sevan" (EU4Sevan) project was held, which was attended by the Deputy Minister of Environment Aram Meimaryan, the head of the cooperation department of the EU delegation in Armenia Frank Hess, the Armenian office of the Armenian Association director Madeleine Rauschenberger, UNDP permanent representative in Armenia Natia Natsvlishvili, EU4Sevan project manager Christian Henschel, EU4Sevan project UNDP component coordinator Astghik Danielyan, UNDP climate, environment, sustainability team leader Hovhannes Ghazaryan, representatives from the RA Ministries of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and RA Economy, as well as members of the project implementation team.
The main subject of discussion of the session was the further work to be carried out by the coordinating council, as well as summarizing the work done in the previous two years and their results.
The session started with a welcome speech by Deputy Minister Aram Meimaryan, as the co-chairman of the program's coordinating council. The deputy minister thanked the partners and referred to the progress of the project and the existing challenges. "Taking into account the need for complex and unified planning and implementation of the environmental, social, and economic functions of Lake Sevan and its coastal zone, we attach great importance to the EU4Sevan program and the effective implementation of its individual components. The implementation of the project helps us to discover the potential of Lake Sevan, as well as to combine the existing agendas and visions around it."
Frank Hess, Head of the Cooperation Department of the EU Delegation and the other Co-Chair of the EU4Sevan Project Coordinating Board, also joined in the welcome speech. Mr. Hess recalled his recent visit to Lake Sevan, which took place in order to participate in the event "I am responsible for Sevan #4" organized within the framework of the EU4Sevan project. "The event was a wonderful example of how strong the cooperation between the program, its partners, as well as representatives from other sectors and community residents is at this time. Moreover, the event demonstrated the effectiveness of cooperation between different stakeholders. I hope today we will discuss our next steps and have a productive discussion."
Madeleine Rauschenberger, director of the Armenia office of the Armenian Committee of the Armenian Academy of Sciences, noted: "There is only one year left in the project and it is important to acknowledge its significant success. However, this phase is also very important to ensure the long-term sustainability of our achievements. I would also like to highlight the platform for the protection of Lake Sevan created within the framework of the EU4Sevan project, which became a reality with the joint efforts of the residents of Gegharkunik region, the private sector and local self-government bodies. This initiative has already produced promising results as stakeholders are actively engaged in joint planning and implementation of future projects. The remarkable level of ownership and enthusiasm shown by all parties involved is truly inspiring."
“I'm excited to join the board because it gives us an opportunity to step out of our day-to-day work routines and focus on how we collaborate and work as a team. As a contribution to UNDP, I would like to note that we have made significant progress towards the overall objectives of the programme. The National Park Management Plan is currently underway and is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. Regarding the issues related to Lake Sevan, it should be noted that they require inter-sectoral cooperation. It is also noteworthy that we emphasize the coordination of various stakeholders, partners and government agencies in effectively managing these issues. Let's come together and make a real impact with our efforts towards these common goals," added UNDP Resident Representative Natia Natsvlishvili.
The meeting continued with the presentation of EU4Sevan project manager Christian Henschel and UNDP Armenia EU4Sevan component coordinator Astghik Danielyan on the achievements and existing obstacles of the project, which was followed by a discussion. In relation to the purpose of the meeting, a discussion and exchange of ideas took place, a wide range of issues related to the achievements and functions of the project, the concept of management and work organization, and security mechanisms for the implementation of the actions were discussed.