Friday, 23 April 2021
Tigran Avinyan Receives U.S. Ambassador
On April 23, 2021, Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan received U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy.
Welcoming the Ambassador, the Deputy Prime Minister appreciated the financial and technical assistance provided by the U.S. Government to Armenia’s economic development and ongoing reforms. Tigran Avinyan singled out the joint work done with USAID, describing it as one of the best experiences in bilateral cooperation, which covers more than 60 projects in the fields of public services, digitization and other spheres.
Down to the bilateral cooperation agenda, the parties reviewed the ongoing public administration reform in Armenia. The Deputy Prime Minister called the reform a cornerstone, emphasizing that it might ultimately result in effective functioning and transparency of the public administration system. In this context, reference was made to the progress recorded in terms of digitizing state and community services. Noting that work is in the most active stage, Tigran Avinyan said tangible results are expected by this yearend.
Presenting the government’s priorities in the field of digitization, the Deputy Premier singled out the formation of a unified database of state-community services, the ongoing activities of public agencies, the judiciary, as well as the government’s electronic tools. The prospects of cooperation in the fields of energy security and renewable energy were discussed during the meeting.
The Deputy Prime Minister talked about Armenia’s keen interest as to developing effective mechanisms for countering the climate change-related challenges. The possibility of launching an innovative “debt for climate” financial exchange mechanism was explored by the parties.
Bearing in mind that Armenia was going to commemorate the 106th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, Tigran Avinyan stressed the need for the international community to recognize and condemn the Genocide. Emphasizing that the U.S. position was essential in this matter, he expressed hope that President Joe Biden would make clear the position voiced during his electoral campaign.
