From Armenia in brief: UN Under-Secretary General Cheick Sidi Diarra in Armenia

Published: Saturday October 25, 2008

Cheick Sidi Diarra. Photolure.

The UN Under-Secretary General, Cheick Sidi Diarra arrived in Yerevan to take part in the Global Innovation Forum for Education and Development on October 22. While in the country he met with the president, prime minister and minister of economy of Armenia.

According to Arminfo General Cheick Sidi Diarra said that IT in Armenia must be developed in parallel with infrastructure development. He added that under­developed rural regions needed just as much attention. "Society must be ready to apply the achievements in IT-sphere as well as actively integrate the technologies into the economy and daily life," the UN official said.

General Sheick Sidi Diarra is also the High Representative of Landlocked Developing countries. During a press briefing on October 21 he said that there are 31 such states in the world. According to the general, the UN Almaty Program of Action became the first global document, directed to securing the special needs of developing landlocked countries. The program contains special measures and recommendations concerning the policy in the sphere of transit transportations, development of transport infrastructure and assistance to trade development. Almaty Program of Action provides for financial and technical help to this group of countries.