Some 43 communities in Armenia to take part in Support for Civil
Society and Local Self-government program

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. Some 43 communities in Armenia will take part
in the four-year program called Support for Civil Society and Local
Self-government Alex Sardar, director of Counterpart International
organization’s office in Armenia, said on Friday.

This is a joint program of the Counterpart International and the USAID.

Sardar said that the program consists of three components – support
for development of civil society, development of communities and
assistance to local self-governing institutions.

He said that work with these sectors would create better environment
for provincial residents.

Sardar said that the project is estimated to cost $15 million or
thereabouts, of which $10 million will be provided in grants.

He said that the project was launched held in October 2010 and will be
completed in September 2014.

Armen Gevorgyan, Armenian vice-premier and territorial administration
minister, speaking at a conference focused on the program
implementation, said that the aim of the program is to solve problems
of administrative units, to strengthen their financial and economic
capacity and improve environment for local self-governing
institutions’ work.
He said that these problems are among the government and the National
Assembly’s top focuses.

`Such projects give us opportunities to cooperate with international
organizations, such as the UN, the OSCE and GIZ,’ the minister said.

Jatinder Cheema, director of USAID mission in Armenia, members of
Armenian National Assembly and heads of local self-governing
institutions attended the conference.

Communities from Armavir (2), Lori (6), Tavush (5), Shirak (3), Kotayk
(2), Ararat (3), Syunik (10), Aragatsotn (4), Vayots Dzor (4) and
Gegharkunik (4) provinces are taking part in Support for Civil Society
program. -0-