How can inter-municipal cooperation, regional partnerships, and local economic empowerment drive Armenia’s development? In February 2025, the Congress mobilised European experts and Armenian municipalities to offer concrete solutions for strengthening governance and unlocking new growth opportunities in the country.
On 18 February in Yerevan, Armenian local authorities presented the results of 11 feasibility studies on inter-municipal co-operation (IMC), to explore sustainable municipal partnerships in such key sectors as tourism and management of waste, water resource and transport infrastructure. The event marked another significant step toward enhancing municipal collaboration; the participants called for creating a platform to exchange best practices, advance the national debate on IMC, and identify pilot experiences. Three of the 11 projects have already secured financing, while three other initiatives will be granted financial support from the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress.
From 19 to 21 February 2025, the Congress organised a Peer Review on Inter-Municipal and Cross-Border Co-operation for Local Economic Development, to provide legal and policy guidance aligned with European standards. Through an exchange of experiences, case studies and legal assessments, the review explored flexible co-operation models, the role of national authorities in cross-border initiatives, and strategies to enhance local economic activities.
Senior experts and policymakers from France, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia and Spain provided practical recommendations to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, sharing insights from similar reforms in their own countries. The findings will serve as a roadmap for reform, shaping Armenia’s next steps in decentralisation and governance innovation. A public roundtable at the close of the event focused on how Armenia can implement these recommendations for a governance model that places municipalities at the heart of sustainable development.
These events underscore the crucial role of local communities in shaping public policies and fostering regional co-operation.
These activities were organised in the framework of ‘’Democratic Development, Decentralisation and Good Governance in Armenia – Phase II’’, implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026, with the financial support of the Austrian Development Agency.
