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Project Information

OPM leads the consortium implementing the Armenia Regional Development Project (ARDEP).  The purpose of ARDEP is to enhance the capacity of two regional administrations (marzpetarans) of Armenia to develop and implement pro-poor programmes and to influence national policy.  ARDEP is building the capacity of the Marzpetarans (Gegharkunik and Tavush) to assess poverty and pro-poor development needs, and to design and implement pro-poor Regional Development Plans (RDPs) with the participation of local communities and civil society.  The first phase was a design phase leading to government approval of RDPs for the two marzes in 2005.  During the second phase of the project ARDEP will support the marzpetarans in RDP implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and linkages to national policy.  The Financial Sector Policy Team provided advisory services in the development and successful implementation of an SME Loan Guarantee Scheme to enable access to financial services by enterprises in the two regions. The team has also recently helped develop the 2008-2011 Private Sector Development Strategy for the two regions, including the further evolution of the Loan Guarantee Scheme.