OSCE Office supports local entrepreneurship development centre in Syunik, Armenia

KAPAN, Armenia, 26 June 2009 - A new office providing state support to small and medium entrepreneurship opened today in the town of Kapan in Armenia's Syunik region, with the support of OSCE Programme Implementation Presence in Syunik.

The Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, and Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan participated in a ceremony to mark the opening of the Representative Office of the Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development National Centre of Armenia (SME DNC).

The new office will help local entrepreneurs' access state support programmes and tools offered by the Government of Armenia.

''One of the key objectives of the OSCE's support to this office is to contribute to sustainable development in this remote region," said Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan. "The new office will make our efforts to support small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs more effective, and help enhance local capacities to respond to the sharply increased economic and social vulnerability in the region due to recent mining sector stagnation."

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan added: "Support to small and medium entrepreneurship is one of the key priorities of the government's economic policies. Enhancement of the state support system for SMEs is crucial in supporting local economic development and overcoming the effects of global economic crisis on the local level."

Ishkhan Karapetyan, Executive Director of SME DNC, said the office would help implement technical and financial support programmes, support start-up entrepreneurs and help implement projects proposed by local companies.

Local entrepreneurs also attended the opening and held discussions with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Economy and the Head of the OSCE Office.