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Workshop Titled "Protecting Lake Sevan: Sustainable Solutions and Investment Strategies"

March 27, 2025

The workshop titled "Protecting Lake Sevan: Sustainable Solutions and Investment Strategies" was organized in cooperation with the Water Committee, the Ministry of Environment, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The event brought together state officials, international and local experts, representatives of environmental organizations, and members of civil society.

Opening remarks were delivered by Martiros Nalbandyan, Deputy Chairman and Acting Chairman of the Water Committee; Aram Meymaryan, Deputy Minister of Environment; Donald Lambert, Country Director of the ADB Armenia Resident Mission; and Vardan Karapetyan, representative of the mission. Welcoming such participatory project platforms, Martiros Nalbandyan noted that they consistently contribute to identifying the most effective solutions.

He then reflected on recent years of cooperation with the ADB, under which several program tracks have been developed. One key direction—presented and discussed during the event—aims to provide long-term, fundamental solutions for wastewater management in the Lake Sevan basin. Emphasizing the continuity of this collaboration, it was noted that the studies currently underway will be followed by a program to develop conceptual solutions, which will form the basis for designing specific investment projects. These projects will deliver the operational tools necessary to implement the investment strategies highlighted in the workshop's theme.

During the panel discussion, Gegham Ter-Grigoryan, Advisor to the Water Supply and Sanitation Systems Department of the Water Committee, addressed wastewater management in the Lake Sevan basin. He stressed that modernizing the three treatment plants in the Sevan area remains a priority for the sector, highlighting the crucial role of partnership with the ADB in this context.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants summarized the main outcomes of the discussions and outlined next steps aimed at preserving Lake Sevan and ensuring climate-resilient development.