Today Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Daniel W. Yohannes, accompanied by RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, RA Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan and U.S. Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch, was present at the opening of Armash pumping station in Ararat marz. The pumping station was constructed and rehabilitated by the MCA-Armenia program.

MCA-Armenia's investment in this pumping station totals USD 2,892,000 and includes replacement of all pumps and motors (9 units), electrical equipments, and cables. MCA-Armenia also fully rehabilitated the intake and the pumping station building and constructed a sand catcher.

Armash irrigates 1,481 hectares of land in four zones through four supply pipelines, delivering water to Armash and Surenavan villages. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony a symbolic tree-planting event took place.

The second stop of the visit was Avshar-Aygevan pump station, where works are still in progress. Here MCA-Armenia constructed a new pump station building to replace the old temporary building in which the pumps were located for more than 30 years.

MCA-Armenia's overall investment in the rehabilitation of Avshar-Aygevan pumping station is USD 1,383,000. It irrigates 1,300 hectares of land in Yeghegnavan, Avshar, and Aygevan villages.

MCC's total investment in Armenia's 17 pumping stations in Ararat, Armavir, Aragatsotn, Gegharkunik and Syunik marzes will equal USD 41 million by the end of the Program. In Ararat, where Armash and Avshar-Aygevan pump stations are located, MCA-Armenia's overall investment is about USD 13 million both for Irrigation Infrastructure and Water-to-Market projects.

The U.S. government's Millennium Challenge Corporation's total investment in Armenia's agricultural and water sector is expected to reach around USD 180 million by the program's completion in September 2011.