PRESS RELEASE
Date: April 14, 2008
Armenian International Policy Research Group
50 Nalbandyan Street, Suite 16
Yerevan 0010, Armenia
Phone/Fax: (+374 10) 528 723
Contact: Mher Baghramyan
Email: annual_conference@aiprg.net
Web:

The Armenian International Policy Research Group (AIPRG) will hold its
Annual Conference on the economy of Armenia on May 17-18, 2008, at the
World Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC.

After more than a decade of transition from a planned to market-based
economy, Armenia undertook important reforms and experienced high
rates of economic growth in recent years. In order to sustain this
growth and ensure further economic development, the country will need
to design and implement second-generation reforms based on lessons
learned during this transition and aimed at: (i) solidifying the
achievements of the transition period; (ii) ensuring a fair and level
playing field for private sector development; (iii) choosing strategic
directions for the country’s export-oriented branches of the economy;
and (iv) laying foundations for future development by strengthening
institutions and modernizing social sectors, especially public
education.

The conference proceedings will address many aspects of the
competitiveness of the Armenian economy. These include the strength
of the Armenian Dram, trends in productivity, market structure and
competition, the role of foreign aid, tourism and IT sectors, market
reforms, the role of the diaspora, and education.

The official language of the conference is English. The conference is
supported by the Government of Armenia and sponsored by the World
Bank, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the US Agency for
International Development (USAID).