YEREVAN—Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan issued a directive to the government for the implementation of its new program in a meeting with ministers, regional governors, heads of government agencies and staff on October 26.
Below reads Karapetyan’s formulated plan for each respective governmental body to realize the program.
“Ministries and agencies:
– By the end of this month, report on the structure and functions of ministries and government agencies in order to reduce unnecessary functions. Submit recommendations on PIU, SNCO consolidation, and on procurement mechanisms;
– Submit recommendations as to which decisions should be made by ministries and agencies, and which functions should be delegated from the government to ministries;
– Adapt the ministries and agencies to the government program; develop a special program for those responsible, with timetables and appropriate measures.
– Review the terms of assignments and discipline; provide feedback through official sites and responsible persons;
– Right from today start work on long-term development programs;
– Review all loan programs that relate to a particular ministry or department, look into their expediency and give measurable assessments as to whether they are needed or not, and what multiplier effect these projects may have;
– Give recommendations on what investment projects and programs may be implemented in respective areas, formulate them and submit to the newly established investment fund where appropriate.
– Give the public regular updates of the work done, provide feedback and introduce the vector of our activities;
– Submit a proposal to each ministry and agency in terms of the government’s performance criteria, involving all the necessary criteria, including investment, jobs, vocational training programs, grants etc.
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should take into account the following criteria in assessing the performance of embassies: the amount of investments made from the host country, trade turnover, exports and imports, tourism between Armenia and the host country.
– The Ministry of Economic Development and Investment should provide regular updates on those programs and projects implemented in Armenia so that Armenian embassies and the foreign block could be duly informed in their work with these materials.
The Minister-Chief of Government Staff:
– Create a center of strategic projects; submit recommendations on its composition and activities;
– Complete the Prime Minister’s assignment on PIU and procurement centralization.
The Ministry of Economic Development and Investment, the State Property Management Department by the Government:
– Submit a proposal on investment fund establishment, as well as on assets involvement: such assets as may be operated or alienated to raise funds.
The Ministry of Economic Development and Investment, the Tourism Committee:
– Formulate an ambitious and innovative concept of tourism development, taking into account that in the near future we will have a budget airline at airport of Gyumri.
The Ministry of Economic Development and Investment:
– Actively work with Armenian embassies abroad to present all those projects and interests that we have in given country. Reorganize the missions of the Ministry of Economic Development and Investment, give recommendations on their expediency, as well as discuss with the embassies the possibility of handing over their functions to respective embassies in order to optimize financial resources.
– Work with Marz governors on activities aimed at improving the business environment and creating jobs in the provinces;
– Build up a platform and provide feedback through which the business community, the public at large can communicate their suggestions, complaints and applications;
– Organize initiative work with the ambassadors accredited in Armenia and the representatives of financial institutions to give information on our projects.
The Ministry of Education and Science:
– Review academic programs with universities and other educational institutions, focusing on those professional skills, practical abilities, which are necessary for our society and our country.
– Pay special attention to education in rural areas and the promotion of IT industry. We need to drastically change the quality of managers. If we do not change it, we will not have a good life.
Marz (Regional) governors:
– Each governor must submit a development plan for his province.
– Draft community development programs in cooperation with individual communities, with special focus on consolidated or enlarged communities so that all programs might be implemented in practice;
– All governors must have developed job-extensive programs with a corresponding rationale behind each program;
– Marz governors should pay special attention to educational and vocational programs, in particular the training of farmers in the agricultural sector.
– The governors should cooperate with the ministries of Agriculture, Education and Science and the National Agrarian University of Armenia in order to understand whether the practical skills and knowledge provided under the existing programs meet the local demand and, to this end, develop appropriate regional programs for professional enhancement.
– Develop a program in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture with a view to making fundamental changes to the ideology of ArmProdExpo;
– Submit proposals and recommendations on how Marz administrations’ performance shall be assessed in terms of investments, jobs, exports, the business environment, educational programs, employment, sports, and so on.”
Karapetyan then highlighted the importance of public feedback saying “We must show our citizens that we are working in accordance with their mandate and in a bid to comply with their expectations.”
The Prime Minister concluded the meeting noting that hearings will continue to take place to discuss the programs submitted by each governing body.
Very good start. Structural reform in Armenia is important for the advancement of “Good Governance” Good luck Prime Minister Karapetyan!