GANJA, Azerbaijan, June 5. The European Union
is considering new grant and investment projects for Karabakh and
Ganja, an EU official said, Trend reports.
Viktor Bozhkov, Head of the Cooperation Department at the EU
Delegation, made the remarks at a media briefing marking the 30th
anniversary of the EU-Azerbaijan partnership and projects in
Ganja.
According to Bozhkov, the EU uses grant mechanisms to make
investment loans more favorable by providing part of the funding as
grants, which reduces the amount to be repaid.
“In such a case, a certain part of the allocated funds is
provided as a grant, and as a result, the amount to be repaid is
reduced. This allows cities and project beneficiaries to benefit
more,” he said.
He noted that several EU-funded grant projects are currently
under way. One of them, implemented with the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO), focuses on regional development,
ecology, and environmental issues in Karabakh.
Another project, being prepared in cooperation with the World
Health Organization (WHO), aims to strengthen healthcare resilience
and primary health services in Karabakh.
“This project is aimed at increasing the resilience of the
healthcare sector and strengthening primary health services in the
Karabakh region,” he said.
Bozhkov also referred to the “Global Covenant of Mayors”
initiative, in which Ganja is participating. The program brings
together Azerbaijani and European cities to exchange experience in
urban planning, environmental protection, greening, and
education.
“This initiative is an important platform in terms of the
development of cities and the formation of a better quality urban
environment for people,” he said.
He added that more detailed information on upcoming investment
projects in Ganja will be provided at a later stage.
