“Armenia is committed to a true and genuine decentralisation process which will make delivery of services to citizens more effective.” First Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Development, Mr Vache Terteryan, acknowledged the strong cooperation with Council of Europe at the formal launch of a new project to promote “Democratic Development, Decentralisation and Good Governance in Armenia.”

Mr Daniel Popescu, Head of the Good Governance Department of the Council of Europe, welcomed Armenia’s renewed commitment to finalising the decentralisation reform. Recognising that it is a difficult process, he recalled that decentralisation “brings decision-making closer to citizens and helps make a state more stable.”

This Project, funded by Austrian Development Cooperation and launched in the context of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2019-2022, will run until the end of 2021 and has a budget of 1.5 million EUR.

As a result of the Project, local authorities will be expected to deliver better services to citizens. They will have developed capacities to strengthen their institutional structures, improve civil participation and the empowerment of women and will have increased understanding of and respect for good governance principles.

The launch event served as an opportunity to present planned Project activities such as community consultation initiatives, training workshops, an e-learning course, and a small grant scheme for consolidated communities. The main stakeholders discussed the challenges and opportunities in promoting good governance at local level, and shared experience and lessons learned from the previous phase of consolidation reform in Armenia.