Workshop On Community And Inter-Community Foundations

In the framework of “Sustainable Development of Mountain Communities of Armenia” Project, ART organized a three-day workshop for the 25 members of the Civic Action Groups (CAGs) and the local authorities (LA) of 5 targeted mountain communities of Gegharkunik Province. Considering the recommendations of the CAGs and LA on establishment of community and inter-community unions and foundations, RA Government priority on communities consolidation as a major way for decentralization as well as the new amendments of the RA law on Public Procurements, the workshop covered two major themes: RA Government Concept on “Consolidation of communities and establishment of inter-community unions”; establishment of community and inter-community unions and foundations, including the successful experience of those functioning in Tavush Province; major targets for inter-community cooperation and projects implementation; RA new law on Public Procurement and the concluding new procedures the communities need to address; Community Budgeting, including Budget Formation Principles and Structure, Community Capital Budgeting, Execution, Management and Monitoring of Community Budget.
The workshop was held by Acting Director of the Communities Finance Officers Association – Mr. Vahan Movsisyan and Senior Specialist of the Ministry of Finance of RA – Mr. Sergey Shahnazaryan.
The workshop participants found the information very useful, as it will give them an opportunity to advocate and monitor the execution of the Province and Community budgets, which was not the case before, as they had no information on the rights of the community and the interrelation among the LA, Province Governance, Province Treasury and Ministry of Finance.
The participants suggested their next priority for capacity building to be a workshop on “Application of new technologies for animal breeding and pasture management in highland areas”.