Open Government Partnership - Armenia

During July, 2018, three outreach meetings for regional engagement were held in the regions of Armenia to popularize the concept of OGP and its implications for the citizenry. During The freedom of Information Center's team visited Tavush, Lori and Aragatsotn regions (Marzes). The representatives of the regional NGOs, educational and media organizations’ met at Ysu Ijevan Branch in Ijevan, Tavush Marz, at "Civic youth Center of  Vanadzor" in Vanadzor, Lori Marz and at “Progress Youth” NGO in Ashtarak, Aragatsotn Marz.

Around 20 NGO representatives in each meeting came together to discuss the scopes of cooperation within the framework of OGP processes in Armenia. The goal of the meetings is to unite the potential of the civil society at the stage of development of OGP 4th Action Plan, as well as to discuss new formats of the cooperation between the civil society and Government.

FOICA President and meeting speaker Shushan Doydoyan mentioned: “We should direct our efforts to the development of the more ambitious and influantial 4th Action Plan. Let us think what it will look like but we definitely want to see our Forth Action Plan several steps more advanced. In this context I attach big importance to the trilateral cooperation between the Government, civil society and donors". 

Mr. Narel Botsinyan from Progress Youth NGO, Ashtarak said that in regions people don't know about the OGP initiative and there is a lack of Information. Government’s own initiatives are not sufficient in ensuring wide public awareness raising and publicity on OGP processes. "This kind of meetings are very important to fill this gap and to involve regional activists in the OGP processes" added Narek. 

Mrs. Liana Doydyayan from FOICA, OGP Working group member, presented the start of the 4th Action Plan development process. "The Government of the RA has published the main criteria which should be taken into account during the development of the Action Plan. All interested parties, non-governmental organizations and individuals can submit clear proposals based on OGP principles by [email protected] email. Civil society in its term has developed the on-line platform to accumulate new suggestions/ideas for the 4th Action plan for Armenia. A new crowd-sourcing online tool provids the opportunity of making proposals with regard to the OGP Plan to potentially wider circles such as citizens, business people, companies, regardless of their legal and organizational form. OGP action plans are designed for two-year period implementation and should enhance transparency, accountability and public participation in Armenia. The applicants can contribute to the Action Plan by submitting their ideas here. 

The participants mentioned that it is important that both the commitments included in the Action Plan and OGP processes in general stem from the principles of transparency, free access to information, public participation and accountability. Thus the Government should take all possible efforts in disseminating information, ensuring public participation and transparency, both at a stage of Action Plan’s development, and implementation of the commitments, as well as every commitment should ensure at least one of these principles. 

The representatives of the participating NGOs expressed readiness to unite in working groups focusing on their respective directions for a new, ambitous Action Plan. As a result of the working discussion, the representatives of the civil society decided to accumalte all ideas and submitted them in a single package to the working group coordinating the Armenian OGP processes in the Government.