NEWLY-ELECTED CEO OF NCFA PRESENTS HIS PROPOSALS ON FOUNDATION’S STRATEGY
Noyan Tapan
Feb 10, 2009
TSAKHKADZOR, FEBRUARY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. A regular sitting of the Board
of Trustees of the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia
(NCFA) was held in Tsakhkadzor on February 8. The sitting was conducted
by the chairman of the Board of Trustees, Armenian prime minister
Tigran Sargsyan.
The sitting participants were: from the state sector – the Board’s
members, the chief economic advisor to Armenian president, the
deputy chairman of the Board Vahram Nersisiants, the minister of
economy Nerses Yeritsian, the minister of finance Tigran Davtian, the
chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) Arthur Javadian; from
the private sector – the Board’s members, the CEO and the chairman
of the board of Troyka-Dialog company Ruben Vardanian, the CEO of
Flagship Ventures company Nubar Afeyan, the CEO of Wolters Kluwer PCi
company Raffi Festekjian, the head of the World Bank Armenia Office
Aristomene Varudakis, and the CEO of NCFA Bekor Papazian.
The RA minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian and the head of the
operations unit of Ernst & Young company Hakob Sargsyan were also
invited to the sitting.
During the sitting, the newly-elected CEO of NCFA Bekor Papazian
presented his proposals on the Foundation’s strategy, work plan,
organizational structure and budget planning.
Among the problems discussed by the members of the Board were the
latest developments in connection with the global economic situation
and the measures taken by the Armenian government in order to ensure
sustainable development of Armenia’s competitiveness under these
conditions.
The Board approved the candidacy of Armen Hovhannisian for the post of
director of the NCFA Tourism Office. It was mentioned that the Tourism
Office has programs which are either at the planning stage or have
already begun. In particular along with reconstruction of the Tatev
monastery complex, on the initiative of Armenia-2020 organization,
the program on construction of a funicular roadway over Halidzor
and creation of a tourist center on the other side of the gorge was
launched. Another program being implemented by the Tourism Office is
construction of the District of Masters in the city of Spitak. This
program is now at the stage of its design and study. The district will
display the works of carpenters, leather-makers and other masters to
live and work in the same district.
A number of healthcare programs to be implemented by the ministry
of health in cooperation with the ministry of economy are also being
planned. The purpose of yet another program is to build a center of
nuclear medicine in Yerevan.
The Board discussed issues related to planning in other target
spheres. A working group was set up and instructed to develop proposals
on the educational sector.
It was decided to discuss the problems of the financial sector and
the problem of turning Armenia into a business excellence center at
the next sitting of the Board.
The Board addressed the problem of founding an All-Armenian
Bank. Based on decisions of the National Competitiveness Council,
the All-Armenian Bank will ensure the financing of projects of
all-Armenian significance, in particular such projects that will
contain elements of innovation and be implemented by members of the
all-Armenian network in any place worldwide.
The Committee of the Board has examined applications of more than 140
candidates from 7 countries and came to the conclusion that none of
them has the experience necessary for ensuring the bank’s activities
and the implementation of its vision. Based on the proposals of the
Committee, the Board has started a more large-scale and targeted
campaign for involving candidates worldwide and discussing them at
the next sittings of the Board.
During the sitting, a decision was made to set up a working group in
cooperation with the RA Ministry of Diaspora. The group will work out
mechanisms of cooperation with highly qualified Diasporan experts
in order to raise the competitiveness of the Armenian World. The
working group will deal with two issues: the contacts of Armenians
in the virtual environment and the creation of a network of famous
Diasporan Armenian advisors who will assist the activities of the NCFA.
The next sitting of the Board of Trustees of the NCFA will be held
on March 21-22.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
