New strategic orientation: a new phase in a history of the Communities Association of Armenia (CAA)

Strasbourg, 21 June 2016. “It is of upmost importance for the Communities Association of Armenia to define its new five-year strategy. We are developing our priorities jointly with our members, striving to ensure that local communities have a strong and trustworthy voice in the new political system of Armenia”, stated Emin Yeritsyan (L EPP), President of the CAA and Head of the Delegation of Armenia to the Congress, during the workshop held on 20 June 2016 in Yerevan, Armenia.

A national association of local authorities is a core element of a system of good local governance, as affirmed by the European Charter of Local Self-Government. By enhancing the accountability, effectiveness and efficiency of the CAA, the project directly promotes and strengthens local democracy, which is one of the key priorities of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2015-2018.

The workshop was organised for further discussions on the draft CAA strategy, in which one of the mayors noted “we need to join our forces and build together a stronger and more efficient association, which will represent local interests at the national level”. This meeting is a continuation of the consultative process initiated in February 2016, and builds on the results of the four regional workshops organised during May, where more than 100 mayors have discussed the role of their association and agreed on the priorities for 2016-2020.

The events were organised jointly between the Communities Association of Armenia and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, within the framework of the project “Institutional support to Communities Association of Armenia”, financed by the Government of Switzerland and the Council of Europe. Support is provided in the framework of the 4-year-programme “Improvement of the local self-governance system”, co-ordinated by the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation, in partnership with the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank and the Armenian Territorial Development Fund (ATDF).

Armenia joined the Council of Europe in 2001, ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 2002, with entry into force on 1 May 2002 and its Additional Protocol on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority in 2013.  Countries which have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter imposes compliance with a minimum number of rights, which are the European bedrock of local self-government. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe ensures respect for these principles.