USAID Mission to Armenia: Partners for the Future
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Narrator: Armenia. A small landlocked nation set on the boundary of Europe and Asia. Armenia. A new country independent since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Armenia. Home to an ancient and storied culture rich with tradition. Shaped by its geography, politics and culture, Armenia is a country in the midst of tremendous growth and change with significant goals. To develop democratic institutions and efficient governance. To establish a market economy and improve the standard of living for all. To engage in the peaceful resolution of regional conflicts.
But Armenia has faced some significant challenges. In 1988, a devastating earthquake struck Armenia. More than 25,000 people died and over 500,000 lost their homes.
Almost immediately upon independence, Armenia entered armed conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan over the predominantly Armenian populated Nagorno-Karabakh region. A cease-fire has held since 1994, but as a result of the war, thousands more were displaced and left homeless. And two of Armenia's four borders are closed. All of Armenia's foreign trade must pass through either Georgia or Iran.
The breakup of the Soviet Union gave Armenia independence and the opportunity to develop a genuine democracy and market economy. But the economic dislocation has been profound. Factories, farms and mines no longer produce for the Soviet Plan. Families, entire towns have lost their livelihoods. The first country to establish a diplomatic mission in Armenia in 1992, the United States of America has pledged to help Armenia meet these challenges and achieve its goals.
John Ordway: When we first arrived in Yerevan, it was a very difficult time for Armenia and for Armenians. And our first challenge was to meet basic human needs. Shelter, fuel, food. Just surviving was a major, major problem. Over the years, however, the focus of what this embassy has been doing in Armenia has shifted. And we are now looking at three major areas in which we are providing assistance to the people of Armenia. First of all, building democracy and improving civil society. Secondly, working on economics. Improving the macroeconomic climate, building business, promoting investment. And third, we are working to create a stable, peaceful environment in the region and beyond. Things like, getting a settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, improving relations with Turkey, as well as fighting crime and terrorism.
Narrator: Democratic reforms in Armenia need support on all levels of society. The U.S. democracy programs work to ensure that citizens know their rights and responsibilities and are well informed about current issues. The mission is working to build governmental procedures and processes that encourage citizens input. These alumni of the Muske Educational Program are making important contributions to Armenia. Muske Fellowships provide one to two years of graduate study in the U.S. in fields as varied as business, environmental management, library science and journalism. Since its beginning in 1992, hundreds of Armenian students have studied in U.S. Universities through the Muske Fellowship Program. The Muske Program is one of the broad groups of educational initiatives that send Armenian students and scholars to the U.S. and bring American scholars to Armenia. Tigran Aloyan, a Muske alumnus, is working as a legal advisor at PA Consulting Armenia office, which implements energy reform projects.
Tigran Aloyan: I had the opportunity to study in the Law Program in the U.S. for one year and I would say it was a big achievement for me. The knowledge I obtained there has played a major role in the development of my future career.
Narrator: Freedom of the press is one of the priorities of the U.S. democracy programs in Armenia, which support the development of an independent news media. The media, NGO Internews, is a USAID grantee. It provides technical assistance and seminars for students and for the staff of small independent television stations. In addition to training broadcast journalists, Internews also produces its own programs, broadcast on Internews Armenia Network with 21 TV stations. Individual media outlets have also received grants directly from U.S. agencies. Artashat Television received financing from the public affairs section of the embassy within the Democracy and Governance Grant Program to shoot a series on national minorities in Armenia.
Armenians can get information not only via the mass media, but also through the Internet. The Internet Connectivity Program aims to establish Internet connections in schools all over Armenia. Teachers and students like to visit the Internet Centers.
Anahit Beijanyan: Through the Internet I get the opportunity to get acquainted with new environment, new children. I play, learn various applications, write letters.
Narrator: The Community Connections Program provided all these professionals the opportunity to visit the U.S. and gain experience. All of them are community leaders, running their own businesses, managing NGO activities, and working in local governments. The Peace Corps has run a vibrant program in Armenia for more ten years. About seventy Peace Corps volunteers are currently working with Armenia counterparts in the area of English language, business development, and environment and health education. They also share the culture and traditions of both countries, developing warm, personal friendships during their two years in Armenia.
Katrina Wardrip: By working with teachers and youth we hope to bring new skills and promote development. But more important than that is the cultural exchange. By joining the Armenian community, we can teach about our own culture while becoming part of theirs.
Bill Benjamin: An important aspect of the Peace Corps is bringing ordinary people together from two cultures. American volunteers share their culture with Armenians, and when they return to the United States they share Armenian culture with their friends and community. This has created lifelong friendships among the American and Armenian people.
Narrator: This puppet show was made possible by a democracy and governance small grant. This interactive performance, organized by UNIMA - Armenia, aims to encourage free and substantive thought among young viewers.
Armenia is in the middle of a difficult economic transition. Many major industries, established during Armenia's Soviet period, have virtually shut down. Armenian's are gradually learning to navigate the unpredictable waters of a market economy. To promote job creation and improvement of living standards, U.S. assistance programs seek to support the development of a thriving private sector. The 1988 earthquake destroyed the factory where Sveta Tazoyan was a manager. In 1999, she began her own business with a Microcredit loan through USAID partner Microenterprise Development Fund Kamurj. Sveta was able to buy inventory and open this market stall with a $100 loan. Her business grew, she repaid the loan and took out additional loans for expansion. Sveta still owns the stall but operates this shop as well. Her growing business supports her family and employs two other women.
MDF Kamurj has more than 1,500 active clients in Gyumri and more than 6,000 across Armenia in Vanadzor, Yerevan and Sisian. Also in Gyumri, the Magnon company receives technical assistance from USAID partner International Executive Service Corps. Before Armenian independence, Magnon was part of a Soviet military research facility. With technical advice provided through its USAID partner, Magnon now produces playground equipment manufactured to U.S. safety standards.
Located in the Ararat Valley, Konstans Fish produces sturgeon and trout, and will soon be producing caviar. The business has expanded with assistance from U.S. programs and hopes to begin export of fillets and steaks.
Konstantin Mkhitaryan: DAI provide us great assistance. It does all the marketing for us. Thanks to the grant we received from them, we were able to carry out a large amount of construction works and are currently importing salmon eggs (spawn) to help develop our fishery.
Narrator: Tourism provides an exchange of ideas as well as opportunities for economic growth. The United States has assisted in opening this tourist information center in Yerevan. These visitors are from Italy and Germany. The U.S. also helps to expand the range of international visitors to Armenia and supports new websites to promote Armenian tourism on the World Wide Web.
More than 18,000 farmers and fifty different agribusinesses operating in Armenia benefit significantly from United States Department of Agriculture Marketing Assistant Project. The Project's team in Armenia helps the farmers and agribusinesses work towards global markets through international exhibitions, trade shows and market research, enabling successful entry into targeted markets.
Craig Infanger: We want Armenia to join the world market and agricultural commodities. We want them to achieve their potential and we are committed to providing the assistance necessary for them to join the world market, increase jobs and incomes here in Armenia well into the future.
Narrator: Wineries in Vayats Dzor and Ararat Regions are developing new wines from sophisticated Areni and Haghtanak grapes. U.S. consultants have worked intensively with these wineries to improve wine quality and sanitation. The project provides financial assistance to purchase bottles, corks, labels and equipment, as well as promotional support to organize export of wines to Russia and Baltic countries.
To improve goat milk production, Marketing Assistant Project established the ARID Goat Center to undertake genetic improvement and education programs for goat farmers. The goal is to double milk production in order to increase the output of goat cheeses, which have strong export potential. Such support is provided to Golden Goat Cheese Plant, located in mountainous Goghtanik village. In another remote village, Ledjan, a farmer marketing association was established to lease modern cooling tanks. This enables farmers to collect, cool and transport their milk to dairy processors.
Sasun Margaryan: These two cooling tanks have enabled 700 families to store milk and earn a living.
Narrator: The project is helping revive the village milk industry in order to encourage and re-establish markets for milk, dairy products and cheeses. Project experts have worked closely with Armenian cheese producers to develop new cheese varieties, improve product quality and consistency, and improve in plant sanitation.
Fruits and vegetables grow abundantly in Armenia's sunshine and good soils. Processing of vegetables and fruits is one of the primary and well developed branches of food industry encouraged by the project. Here we are in Artashat Cannery. Almost 95 percent of the production is marketed to five foreign countries.
Sergo Karapetyan: As compared to the period of 1998-1999, production volume in 2002 has increased 50 times. It is due to the fact that we currently cooperate with USDA.
Narrator: The Department of Defense is proud to sponsor USDA-managed water projects which bring thousands of rural families the water they need for drinking, bathing and irrigating their crops. By constructing new and restoring old wells and pipes, the Department of Defense is making life better for communities in every region of Armenia.
Other U.S. programs promote economic growth with a wide range of activities, from direct technical advice for individual business to support for improved government policy and administration. We encourage the development of financial institutions to provide business loans. In seminars such as this, bankers meet with colleagues and experts to share ideas and experience.
Hrand Kurkjian: The whole objective of the program of course is to help Armenia manage its financial resources more efficiently. To make sure that money is spent where it's needed. That it's designed to provide the economic growth that Armenia needs in the future.
Narrator: The effects of the 1988 earthquake linger. Of the half million people left homeless by that earthquake, 12,000 families are still living in emergency shelters called domiks. The Earthquake Zone Recovery Program is part of a broad range of activities supported by the United States to help the recovery of this region and the rest of Armenia. This yard was recently full of domiks and will be redeveloped as a commercial site. This family has been living in this domik for fourteen years. Through a USAID program implemented by the Urban Institute, they bought a house and are now in the process of moving. They are among thousands who have benefited from the Housing Voucher Program. Obviously, there is a long way to go before full recovery.
These elderly Armenians have no family to support them and their pensions are not enough even for food. This program provides lunch five days per week. USAID partner Mission Armenia provides lunch for some of the most vulnerable people.
The U.S. helps in the search for a peaceful resolution of regional conflict through the OSCE-based Minsk Group. The United States, for example, supported Nagorno-Karabakh Peace Talks in Key West, Florida, in 2001. In addition, the mission seeks in the short term to explore opportunities for building trust and confidence on a regional level.
Joseph O'Toole: Our mission here is to train and advise on humanitarian demining missions. And this is just one of the tools we use. With these efforts, it will make the world a safer place.
Narrator: Land mines left along Armenia's borders explode on average once every week, killing or disabling their victims. To tackle this problem, the United States Defense Atache Office in Yerevan leads Department of State and Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Activity in Armenia. The Defense Atache Office also oversees the formation of Armenia's own Humanitarian Demining Center, bringing United States military demining experts here to instruct Armenian deminers and improve local capacity for demining. The overall goal is to rid Armenia of unwanted land mines. Fire in the hole!
These are only a few of the assistance programs that the United States implements in Armenia, all of which reflect the United States government's strong support for Armenia and its citizens, working together with the government of the Republic of Armenia, the Armenian private sector, NGO's, the Armenian-American community and other international donors, the U.S. mission here looks forward to Armenia's continued growth. The mission remains steadfast in its commitment to a secure, democratic and prosperous Armenia.
Keith Simmons: In Armenia, we are proud to be part of their team as they move forward in their transition to achieve their goals of a stable and prosperous society for the people of Armenia.
[Music and Closing Credits]
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