ARMENIA TRIES TO ACHIEVE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

A1 Plus | 16:52:07 | 08-11-2004 | Social |

Today the Ministry for Coordination of Territorial Administration and
Infrastructure Operations of Armenia and United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) inaugurated a new project on the Establishment of
the Municipal Service System.

The aim of the project is to support decentralization and help
strengthen communities by focusing on the legislative, educational,
technical and operational systems that are necessary to ensure viable,
accountable and effective local administrations.

Within the framework of the project launched by Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan,
Minister for the Coordination of Territorial Administration and
Infrastructure Operations, and Ms. Lise Grande, UN Resident Coordinator
and UNDP Resident Representative, a package of legal acts aimed at
ensuring viable municipal service systems will be introduced. Steps
will also be taken to introduce performance-based budgeting at the
local level and training on fiscal decentralization will be provided
to community heads, members of local councils and municipal civil
servants.

“Together with the Government of Armenia we are trying to strengthen
local communities. This is particularly important because small
villages and former industrial towns have suffered enormously during
the past decade. Their economic viability has been undermined and large
parts of their populations have been forced to emigrate. To ensure that
Armenia remains strong and unified and that no one is left behind,
the country needs effective and accountable local administrations,
capable of providing public services and supporting the general needs
of the community”, Ms. Grande noted.

The Establishment of Municipal Service System project is a
two-year project with a budget of USD 312,700. To ensure successful
implementation, a Steering Committee will be formed comprised of
representatives of UNDP, Ministry for Coordination of Territorial
Administration and Infrastructure Operations, the Public Administration
Academy of Armenia and other partners.