Armenia

The Aghstev River flows from the Tavush region, in the northeastern part of Armenia. It has a length of 133 km that is passing both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and it is a right tributary of the Kura River, which is passing through Armenia and Georgia. Along the river bank lie the cities of Dilijan and Ijevan of the Tavush region of Armenia and the city of Kazakh of Azerbaijan.

The water pollution in Aghstev River is alarming: in general, it exceeds norms by 1.2-1.5 times. River pollution is especially noticeable in the territory of Dilijan city, where the river length is 12 km. Here, water pollution exceeded the norms by several times due to the waste water flows into the river from the city’s internal sewage system and other sources.
With the increase of river-based tourism and tourism in general, there is a growing need to protect and to promote the commercial use of the river basin in line with the tenets of sustainable development, particularly sustainable tourism.

What is the objective ?
The objective of this project is to support the sustainable tourism in the Aghstev River section that passes through the city of Dilijan, addressing both the protection of the river’s waters and its natural and cultural heritage, as well as the upgrading of tourism-related activities along the river as a source of income for the local population, particularly young people.