How can we help ensure that local officials are efficient and effective in their use of public resources and prudent and productive in their use of public funds? Sound financial management is a key component of the 12 Principles of Good Democratic Governance and so the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance has launched a series of four 2-day training activities for local finance officers of Consolidated Communities in Armenia.

Building on recent advice and support aimed at increasing fiscal autonomy and fiscal capacity of local authorities in Armenia, and following on from discussion of a draft Hotel Tax at a recent Community Consultation Initiative meeting in Yerevan on 1 March 2022, this series of capacity-building workshops will help local officials transition towards he new public sector accounting system.

Over 80 local officials will develop their capacities to improve systematic recording of day-to-day financial transactions, launch public procurement procedures, and prepare financial reports. An ancillary benefit of the trainings will be the creation of a network of financial officers to further support and peer learning.

Participants will also follow module 10 of the e-learning course on the 12 Principles of Good Democratic Governance which has been translated to Armenian and integrated into the e-learning platform of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.

These activities have been organised under the Democratic Development, Decentralisation and Good Governance in Armenia project implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance in the context of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia and funded by the Austrian Development Agency.