The Vedi Reservoir construction project is nearing completion. On this occasion, a delegation of the French Development Agency (AFD) visited the reservoir site to review the completed works on the ground. Participants included Audrey Courdier, AFD Country Programme Manager for Armenia; Vincent Tanguy, Head of AFD’s Agriculture and Irrigation Team; Martiros Nalbandyan, Deputy Chairman of the Water Committee; Ashot Khachatryan, Deputy Director of the Armenian Territorial Development Fund, Aghvan Beglaryan, Acting Director of Jrar CJSC; Suren Sahakyan, Director of Sahakyanshin CJSC (the Contractor); and others.

The participants toured the reservoir area and, during a roundtable discussion, agreed the final schedule for remaining works, as well as technical and organisational issues related to the future operation of the reservoir.

The AFD delegation was subsequently hosted at the Water Committee by Chairman Aramazd Ghalamkaryan. The parties discussed the “Water and Agriculture Integrated Development in Armenia” (WAIDA), “Irrigated Agriculture Development in Ararat and Armavir Marzes” (IADAAM), and “Water Supply and Irrigation Services Enhancement” (WISE) French co-financed programmes.

The importance of developing Armenia’s strategic programme for the irrigation sector, as well as coordinating various programmes planned in Syunik region, was underscored.

The Chairman thanked the French partners for effective cooperation and for addressing emerging issues in a partnership spirit.

With a capacity of 29.3 million m³, the Vedi Reservoir was built on the right bank of the Vedi River in Ararat region. The project cost is EUR 90 million, with more than 80% of financing provided by AFD. The reservoir will store 29.3 million m³ of water, enabling gravity irrigation of 3,220 hectares of land.