Armenia - DHA-16: 01-31.Oct.97

Situation Report from the DHA Coordinator in ARMENIA - No. 16
October 1997


HIGHLIGHTS
- World Bank voices concern over the slow economic growth and high
  poverty level in Armenia
- Swiss Government Food for Work evaluation workshop conducted in
  Yerevan
- Reforming of the water and sewage systems is one of the top priorities
  in Yerevan says Prime Minister
- Swedish SIDA Mission to Armenia


SITUATION OVERVIEW
Economic Performance
At a news conference on 8 October World Bank (WB) representatives voiced
their concern over the slow economic growth and the high poverty level
in Armenia. Judith O'Connor, Chief of Armenia and Georgia Division of
WB, reported that the Bank dispatched a delegation of 30 experts in
different fields to Armenia to study the economic situation in the
country and determine major trends on which WB's assistance is needed.
She noted that WB's activities in Armenia would be aimed at increasing
the volume of programmes in the social sector.

Social Life
The Government of Armenia approved a project for increasing pensions,
proposed by the Ministry of Social Welfare (MoSW). Monthly pensions will
increase by 400 drams (about USD 0.80). According to the proposal, the
grants should further increase by 650 drams (USD 1.25) starting in
January 1998. As reported by MoSW, some 667,000 old people live in
Armenia.

MoSW and the Agropromtara company developed a joint programme of
employment for disabled people. 30 job places will be created in the
company for the disabled to produce polyethylene, wooden and cardboard
packaging. The average monthly salary is expected to be 12,000-15,000
drams (about USD 24-30).

Registration in the PAROS system was completed at the end of October.
Based on the revised lists, eligible recipients of the humanitarian aid
will be defined. So far 240 thousand families have been registered in
PAROS.

Other Issues
A delegation of the EU Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Legal and
Human Rights Affairs visited Armenia to become acquainted with and
collect data on the democratic and legal system as well the human rights
record in the country.

The Japanese Government is currently considering an allocation of a USD
10 million grant to purchase modern equipment to remove garbage in
Yerevan, Vahan Haroutiunian from the City Hall reported. He also said
that together with a foreign partner, the City Hall, Ministries of
Energy and Environment are currently establishing a special agency to
prepare a programme on construction of a garbage-recycling plant in
Yerevan. The cost is estimated to be USD 100 million.

SECTORAL SUMMARY OF EVENTS
Food Security-Agriculture
The Board of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has adopted a programme
of social and economic reforms in the agricultural and food sectors of
the Shirak marz for 1997-2000. The programme aims at raising the level
of self-provision of agricultural and food products. The scheduled
arrangements are planned to be sponsored by local authorities and
communities, as well as through credits and transferred funds. The MoA
is planning to develop similar programmes for other regions of Armenia.

UNHCR Sevan Field Office reported that the number of refugees seeking
food assistance has increased. The food assistance reduction has greatly
affected the social condition of the refugees living in communal
centres. 1,000 food rations are planned by UNHCR to be distributed to
refugees living at communal centres in Gegharkunik marz from the WFP
allocation.

A workshop on food-for-work (FFW), organised by the Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation, Division of Humanitarian Aid, was held in
Yerevan. A paper on food-for-work was presented by the evaluation team.
The following statements were made by the team: a) FFW is a suitable
instrument to move from free distribution of humanitarian aid to
development programmes, b) FFW contributed significantly to the social
and economic condition of the participants, c) FFW supported local
authorities in taking initiative for problem-solving at local level,
thus supporting the decentralisation process in the country, d)
Participants of the FFW projects preferred FFW to free food
distribution, e) FFW was implemented as a self-targeting scheme thus
avoiding the administrative costs of selecting beneficiaries, and f) at
the level of beneficiaries and implementing agencies there is a great
potential for further FFW programmes.

CARE has distributed 180 MTs of winter wheat seed to villages in Syunik,
Gegharkunik and Vayots Dzor marzes, which were affected by significant
hails and rains during the summer months. A total 600 households
benefited from the distribution.

Health and Sanitation
The Ministry of Health (MoH) and the World Bank held a press conference
on the health reforms initiated by the MoH and supported by the WB. A
loan of USD 10 million has been allocated by the WB for the
implementation of two projects: primary health care and financing in the
healthcare system.

The number of HIV-infected has doubled. Currently 54 HIV-infected are
registered in the country, 10 of whom have full-blown AIDS. The death
rate also increased (six recorded deaths). Lev Zohrabian, Director of
the Centre for AIDS Control and Prevention noted that situation may
change under the influence of many factors. He also noted that public
awareness is required. Following a decision by the MoH, educational
campaigns will start at 30 schools in Yerevan. Financial support will be
provided by UNAIDS.

Based on a resolution by the Prime Minister Robert Kocharian, Yerevan
City Council is to provide a programme of reforms in the water and
sewage systems to the Government by 1998. The Prime Minister stated that
reforming of these systems is one of the top priorities in Yerevan.

During the month of October UNICEF conducted workshops on management of
acute respiratory infections and diarrhoeal diseases in Tavush marz.
UNICEF also delivered paediatric drugs and supplied kits, funded by the
Swedish and Dutch Governments, to the marzes of Siunik, Tavush, Shirak
and Ararat, as well as to a polyclinic in Yerevan.

Shelter
The American Red Cross together with the Armenian Red Cross will
implement a construction project in 1998 in the earthquake zone.
According to the project, residents themselves will be participating in
housing construction. The project will be sponsored by the Lincy
Foundation.

Education, Training and Child Care
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) allocated USD 240,000 to the
Yerevan City Council for acquisition of heating equipment for 72 schools
in the city. The equipment has already been installed and tested in 12
schools. City Council will take action to heat the remaining 126
schools.

Doctors from Germany, who have been treating 60-70 children under 12
suffering from diseases of limbs, spinal cord and heavy burns at the
Republican Rehabilitation Centre, arrived in Yerevan on 26-28 October.
The medical aid is being provided within the framework of the open-ended
agreement signed between the Armenian Children's Fund and Friedens-Dolf
International of Germany. Children with severe injuries will be given
appropriate treatment in European countries.

DHA attended the education coordination meeting on 28 October, which was
chaired by UNICEF. Head of the Social Department of the Ministry of
Education and Science (MoES) Aram Arsenian presented the urgent needs of
some 30 special institutions where some 5,000 vulnerable children live.
The needs included educational kits, bed kits, warm clothes and shoes,
as well as weatherisation of the institutions. There were significant
discussions regarding the development of effective mechanisms for
coordination and information sharing. DHA HAO pointed out the importance
of having a clear coordination procedure between the Government itself
and international community in the country for effective targeting and
programming purposes. He also noted that a database on aid programmes in
Armenia currently developing by DHA, could become a useful information
tool for aid practitioners.

Nila Kapor, UNICEF Psycho-Social Rehabilitation Consultant, was on a
visit in Armenia from 9 to 24 October to conduct training for
psychologists -Helping Children in Distress.- It was Ms. Kapor's third
visit to Armenia within the framework of the psycho-social support
programme.

A textbook prepared by Dr. Hrayr S. Karagueuzian, a Professor of
Medicine from Los Angeles, has been approved by MoES, and will become a
required course in the curriculum in the country's education system
within two years. The programme is entitled -Health Education and
Lifestyle Programme- (HELP). The printing costs will be covered by the
Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA).

Development Related Activities
About 300 patients, including 12 children, live and receive treatment in
the Sevan Psychiatric Hospital. The Sevan hospital until recently lacked
heating, water and sewage systems, buildings were in half-destroyed.
After the situation is much improved. The repair works were done by the
IFRC and Armenian Red Cross as part of the programme -Restoration of
Establishments- funded by ECHO. USD 259,000 provided by ECHO was also
used to repair the building of the Nubarashen psychiatric hospital and
TB hospital in Abovian.

WHO and UNDP have been requested by the Government of Armenia to provide
assistance in the area of Environmental Health Development. WHO in close
consultation with the MoH has prepared a project proposal aimed at
providing technical assistance to the MoH in a development of a
self-standing policy programme in the field of Environmental Health.

-Voices of Youth- is UNICEF's Internet forum where young people and
educators can meet to share ideas and find information about issues such
as global development, peace and social justice. UNICEF-Armenia invited
a number of organisations to participate in the forum, and have a
dialogue on child labour, children and war, children and cities, etc.
This initiative was supported by the Embassy of France and UNDP.

Community Development
The IOM Micro-enterprise Development Programme, with partial funding
from UNDP, began its first set of training sessions in the month of
October. The candidates were recruited from amongst refugees and IDPs in
Yerevan. Toward the end of the session IOM with the Armenian bank
Shirakinvest, will select business plans for funding of loans up to USD
2,000. Programming departments in the project include administration and
finance, curriculum development and training, business advisory
services, and monitoring.

Migration
Within the IOM programme on Capacity Building in Migration Management,
the workgroup on Legislation and Regulations drafted two laws on
Refugees, and on Exit from and Entry to the Republic of Armenia, which
have been submitted to the Governmental Commission of the programme. The
first draft of the Law on Free Movement and Choice of Residence has been
developed and is now in the group discussion stage. Activities of the
Migration Information Systems workgroup based on results of joint
discussions with Georgian colleagues focus on border control issues.
Regional activities were also the focus of the Labour Migration
workgroup during the reporting month. With their colleagues from Georgia
and Azerbaijan, the group had discussions with an ILO expert, looking at
such issues as licensing orders and regulations for undertaking labour
migration activities and the state's role in control over recruitment
agencies.

Under the IOM Migration Sector Development Project, training workshops
were provided to NGOs operating in the migration sector during the past
several months. The project issued requests for proposals at the end of
October to invite sector participants to apply for grants through the
Small Projects Fund. Proposals should focus on areas of human rights of
migrants including information, advocacy, community education and
support services.

Energy
At a press conference presidential spokesperson Levon Zurabian touched
upon the issue of nuclear energy. In this field Armenia collaborates
with IAEA, as well as Russia and France. At a meeting with Armenian
President in Paris, French President assured him that France would
assist Armenia in implementation of nuclear energy development
programmes.

According to a programme developed by the Armenian Energy Committee,
6,082 million kwt-h of electric power is expected to be produced in
Armenia in 1998, which is 4.75 percent more than the forecasted power
production in the current year. A 10 percent increase in electric and
thermal energy tariffs, as well as a 5 percent increase in gas tariffs
are expected in 1998 to maintain the technical state of the power supply
system, Vardan Movsessian, Chairman of the Armenian Energy Committee,
reported to the National Assembly. He also said that 2.3 million kwt-h
of electric power has been exported to Georgia during the first half of
the year.

OTHER ISSUES
A Roundtable on Best Practices in Humanitarian Assistance co-sponsored
by Save the Children (US) and UNDHA was held on 14-15 October.
Representatives from UN Agencies, ECHO and several international
organisations attended it. The Roundtable was facilitated by an external
consultant Greg Hansen, who is compiling a handbook for humanitarian
practitioners in the Caucasus for the Humanitarianism and War-Local
Capacities for Peace Projects. Several issues of common concern were
discussed, among them aid impacts on conflicts, strengthening of local
capacities for peace, the role of donors and political pressures,
mandate and coordination issues. A follow-up meeting was convened on 27
October in order to identify ways in which participants of the
roundtable could initiate follow-up activities.

A delegation from the two divisions of Humanitarian and Technical
Assistance of Swedish SIDA arrived in Armenia from 18-22 October to
identify linkages between humanitarian and development agendas, to
investigate those areas in which development-oriented technical
cooperation programmes could be initiated. They had discussions with UN
Agencies, government ministries and donors. Sweden has provided
considerable contributions for the humanitarian programmes implemented
by UN Agencies, and is likely to continue its commitment though with
less funding. Instead the Swedish Government made a decision to increase
technical assistance to Armenia.

Emergency Training Workshop (ETW), which is a WFP emergency preparedness
training programme, was organised jointly with WFP, UNHCR, UNDHA, UNDP
and the State Emergency Management Administration (SEMA) on 8-10
October. The aim of the workshop was to raise the preparedness, the risk
management ability, to improve disaster awareness and to understand the
role of logistics involvement in disaster response.

An exhibition devoted to the 52nd anniversary of the United Nations
opened at the UN Building on 24 October. Publications on the UN
activities in general, and particularly in Armenia attracted special
attention of the visitors.

This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int

United Nations Office in Yerevan, Armenia
Mr. Oliver Lacey-Hall
Humanitarian Affairs Officer
Tel.: (003742) 56 23 55 - Fax: (003742) 15 17 49
E-Mail: undhaatarminco.com

Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) - Geneva
Mr. David Bassiouni - Chief
Ms. Sylvia Ferazzi
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1402 - Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Rosemary.Addo-Yirenkyiatdha.unicc.org

Complex Emergency Division (CED) - New York
Mr. David McLachlan-Karr
Tel.: (1 212) 963.0226 - Fax: (1 212) 963.1388
E-Mail: mclachlan-karratun.org

Press to contact (DHA-Geneva)
Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2856 - Fax: (41 22) 917.0023
Telex: 414242 DHA CH - E-Mail: Moulin-Acevedoatdha.unicc.org



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