YEREVAN, September 10. /ARKA/. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in cooperation with the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), is holding a regional seminar on solid waste management and sector development in the Armenian resort town of Tsakhkadzor on September 10-12, the EBRD press office reported.

The seminar is funded by the SIDA and will take place at Golden Palace Hotel in Tsakhkadzor. Armenia’s deputy minister of territorial administration Artashes Bakhshyan is expected to deliver a welcoming speech at the opening on Thursday September 11.

Some eighty sector experts from countries such as Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Romania, Mongolia and Tajikistan will meet to share their experiences and knowledge acquired during the implementation of various solid waste projects, according to the report. They will also discuss factors affecting the success of these projects in the region.

The seminar is a unique opportunity for industry experts and representatives of solid waste companies, municipalities, ministries across the region, donors and EBRD bankers to discuss projects under implementation, says the report. The event will facilitate networking and will help enhance operational capacity among existing and future clients of the EBRD.

“The EBRD has an active relationship with stakeholders in the solid waste sector throughout the region, working with city administrations, ministries and regulators to build operational and financially sustainable solid waste management,” said Catarina Bjorlin Hansen, EBRD Senior Banker, Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure.

“There is always scope for further improvement in the implementation of EBRD-financed solid waste projects. We are grateful to SIDA, who are very active in the region, for supporting this opportunity to share the Bank’s experience in this vital sector,” she said.

The EBRD, supported by grant funds from the European Union (EU), is currently considering two solid waste management projects in Armenia, in Kotayk and Yerevan. The Bank would finance the construction and operation of EU-compliant landfills and transfer stations, as well as the supply of collection and transport vehicles and equipment to the waste management companies.

The EBRD remains a committed partner in Armenia. This initiative is part of the Bank’s commitment to ensuring enhanced municipal infrastructure around the country, says the report.  –0--