AUA Center’s Preparation of World Bank’s Armenia Strategic Mineral Sector Sustainability Assessment Released

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YEREVAN, Armenia– On June 8, 2016 around 100 policy makers and practitioners from the Government of Armenia, the private sector, and civil society attended the launch of the Armenia Strategic Mineral Sector Sustainability Assessment, prepared by the World Bank at the behest of the Government of Armenia.

The report includes a better understanding of the key challenges and opportunities in the Armenian mining sector, with a focus on promoting environmental and social sustainability and attracting high-quality investments in the sector. 

The Assessment was led by a Swedish Geological AB and the consortium of experts comprising SLR Consulting Ltd, Avag Solutions LLC, the AUA Turpanjian Center for Policy Analysis, and the AUA Center for Responsible Mining. 

The report has identified a wide range of issues in the mineral sector and proposed recommendations. The recommendations range from increasing sector financial transparency to improving environmental monitoring and enforcement; addressing security risks at both former and active mine operations; and developing and enforcing guidelines for safe design and management of mine waste facilities. “

Another key finding of the Assessment,” says Alen Amirkhanian, director of the AUA Center for Responsible Mining, “is that Armenia lacks mining policy. This is a major gap which leads to ad hoc, sporadic legislative changes as well as uncontrolled mining whether or not they benefit the county.”  

The Government of Armenia is looking at this report as a guiding document to strategize its work in reforming the mining sector in Armenia. “This evaluation can serve as a tool to develop a road map for creating a responsible, transparent mining sector that solidly contributes to country’s sustainable development,” said Davit Harutyunyan, Minister – Chief of Staff of the Republic of Armenia Government.

The American University of Armenia Center for Responsible Mining (AUA CRM) promotes the creation, transfer, and adoption of best practices in socially, environmentally, and economically responsible mining in Armenia. AUA CRM works with companies, civil society, and the public sector to achieve this goal.