Republican Party of Armenia

 The fifth annual congress of rural communities kicked off in Jermuk, attended by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.

The forum aims at sustainable development of rural communities at all levels of local self-government and rural communities to discuss exchange of experience and information on rural programs and policies. Note that on November 10, 2015, the 19th anniversary of introduction of the local self-government system is marked in Armenia.

For valuable contribution to the development of local self-government in Armenia, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan awarded the Prime Minister’s commemorative medal to USAID Armenia Mission Director Karen Hilliard, Professor Emeritus at the University of Strasbourg, Council of Europe, expert Robert Herzog and head of Yelpin community of Vayots Dzor <arz of Armenia Khoren Avetisyan. For active participation in the system of local self-government, Hovik Abrahamyan handed the Prime Minister’s commemorative medal to President of Association of Women with University Education NGO Jemma Hasratyan.

Welcoming the organizers and participants of the forum, the Prime Minister said that the already traditional conference is an opportunity to discuss progress in rural development activities and plans for the future. “It is noteworthy that the forum is being held today - November 10 – on the day of local government in Armenia. I congratulate the forum participants and all our partners on this occasion,” Hovik Abrahamyan said felicitating those community heads elected and re-elected in the recent local elections and wishing them productive work.

Coming down to the forum agenda, the Premier pointed stated in part, “This year’s agenda features issues related to agriculture and tourism sectors. The first refers to rural population’s employment and income, while the second treats of emerging business opportunities.

The community heads are well aware of rural development programs, because most of them are carried out with their direct participation and support. Our programs provide for high-quality seeds, fertilizers, agricultural machinery and equipment, new vineyard plantations and so on.

A special focus is placed on farmers’ needs. I have always been mindful of the problem of sales of farm products. At the same time, efforts are underway to extend the coverage of irrigated lands and irrigation systems. Intensive agriculture has great potential as evidenced by the development of greenhouse farming.

As in previous years, either this year the provinces were allocated an amount of about 4.3 billion drams in the frame of priority projects, mainly aimed at upgrading educational facilities, municipal roads, health care organizations and other facilities.

The Prime Minister praised the role played by the World Bank, the USAID, as well as the German Agency for International Cooperation, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and other international organizations in promoting administrative reforms in Armenia.

“Supported by them, the Rural Development Fund will implement over USD 13.0 million worth of activities in 14 pilot rural community clusters. The European Union has earmarked over 13.0 million euros to support community-targeted development projects, for which tenders have already been announced,” the Head of Government said.

In terms of achieving greater effectiveness and efficiency in local government, Hovik Abrahamyan stressed the need for citizens’ active participation in decision-making, emphasizing that this is the main focus of the UN-supported programs aimed at the promotion of democratic governance.

“We are making consistent efforts to create and implement information systems in communities. A vivid evidence of what I said is the international award won by Armenia at the Open Government Partnership Initiative’s global forum held in Mexico City in the month of October for the program on introduction of community management information systems in regional administrations. You may rest assured that the reforms will be continued. I am sure that we will have prosperous communities offering sustainable habitat,: the Premier noted.

Hovik Abrahamyan assured that together with the international partners, the Government will back any initiative aimed at the development of communities, while the local administrations should work more effectively in a bid to address our people’s needs.

“Realizing the importance of local and regional governments to public life, the Government will be allocating more and more financial resources for their consolidation. This is the future of our country, and we will have strong communities and a powerful statehood,” the Prime Minister concluded wishing the participants every success and fruitful work.

USAID Armenia Mission Head Karen Hilliard and Professor Emeritus of the University of Strasbourg, Council of Europe expert Robert Herzog thanked Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan for the award and stressed the importance of the forum, which has become a traditional event.

Karen Hilliard said the forum has become an effective platform to raise issues relating to community development and discuss ways of resolving them. Taking into account the large amount of work done over the past few years, tangible progress can be witnessed by the stakeholders.

In the context of the ongoing reform, the USAID Armenia Mission Director stressed that community consolidation is an effective tool for decentralized management. Noting that the process of consolidation is an important and effective change, on behalf of the USAID Karen Hilliard expressed willingness to join the Government and civil society in their effort aimed at the development of the local government in Armenia.

For his part, Professor Emeritus at the University of Strasbourg, Council of Europe expert Robert Herzog said that Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan stood at the origins of the local government reform from the very time he initiated this process as Minister of Territorial Administration.

Noting that Armenia is a reliable partner for the European Council, he stressed with satisfaction that Armenia has expressed readiness to sign the European Charter on local self-government reform.

PM Abrahamyan also visited the Agribusiness and Rural Development Foundation-organized exhibition in Jermuk to get acquainted with the Meghri Gardener Support Center-proposed facilities and services.

Attended by 129 community heads (including 17 women and 49 town mayors) and 20 councilors, as well as representatives of international organizations and NGOs and experts, the forum will be discussing issues related to agriculture and tourism, local self-government and balanced regional development.