USAID/OTI A I S R O 2020
Transcript of USAID/OTI A I S R O 2020
October 2020
This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Management Systems International, a Tetra Tech Company.
USAID/OTI ARMENIA SUPPORT INITIATIVE SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT – OCTOBER 2020
USAID/OTI ARMENIA SUPPORT INITIATIVE
SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT #2 April 1, 2020 – September 30, 2020
Contract No: AID-OAA-I-14-00012 Order No: 7200AA19F00012
DISCLAIMER
The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Acronyms 2
1. Executive Summary 1
2. Program Overview 1
2.1 Background 1
2.2 Context 2
COVID-19 And Armenia’s State of Emergency 2
Renewed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh 2
3. ASI By The Numbers 3
3.1 ASI Achievements during the Reporting Period 4
4. Program Highlights 4
4.1 Public Administration and E-Governance 4
4.2 Strategic Communications 6
4.3 Corruption Prevention 6
4.4 Community Engagement 7
4.5 Responding to COVID-19 9
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ACRONYMS
ASI Armenia Support Initiative
AUIC Armenian Unified Information Center
CC Constitutional Court
COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease 2019
CIO Chief Information Officer
CPC Corruption Prevention Commission
DPM Deputy Prime Minister
GoAM Government of Armenia
IPRC Information and Public Relations Center
MOJ Ministry of Justice
MSI Management Systems International
OSCE Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
OTI Office of Transition Initiatives
PM Prime Minister
RA Republic of Armenia
STTA Short-Term Technical Assistance
SWIFT Support Which Implements Fast Transitions
USAID United States Agency for International Development
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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Transition Initiatives
(OTI) supports U.S. foreign policy by seizing emerging windows of opportunity in the political
landscape to promote stability, peace, and democracy by catalyzing local initiatives through
adaptive and agile programming. In Armenia, the 2018 Velvet Revolution swept a young,
ambitious new government into office on a wave of popular support and optimism for reform and
economic development. In response, OTI launched the Armenia Support Initiative (ASI) in July
2019. The program seeks to support the Government of Armenia’s efforts to implement its reform
agenda and build public confidence through visible and tangible achievements. To date, ASI has
implemented activities in all Marzes (regions) of Armenia, and in Yerevan—including the national
government and Yerevan municipality. As with all OTI programs, ASI implements programming
through clusters of small grants, usually aiming to build on mutually supportive grant outcomes
for greater impact. As of September 30, 2020, ASI has cleared a total of 79 activities focusing on
strategic communications, corruption prevention, community engagement, public administration,
and electronic governance (e-governance).
2. PROGRAM OVERVIEW
2.1 BACKGROUND
In April 2018, peaceful street
protests across Armenia
culminated in the resignation of
the Prime Minister (PM) and
former President Serzh
Sargsyan. In May 2018, protest
leader and opposition
parliamentarian Nikol Pashinyan
was elected as the new PM. In
order to consolidate the political
changes, the former PM
resigned, forcing snap elections
in December 2018. This gave the
pro-government Civil Contract
Party, part of the My Step
Alliance, an overwhelming majority in parliament. The Pashinyan government has subsequently
pivoted to focus on reforms, beginning with ministerial consolidation, drafting long-term 2050
plans, and focusing on anti-corruption measures and judicial reform. It also seeks to establish
foundations for an “economic revolution” to tackle unemployment and emigration. Recognizing
the new government’s clear political will to institute change, along with the public’s expectations
for quick results, USAID/OTI recognized a pressing need to provide assistance to effectively
envision and implement much-needed reforms.
Figure 1 - Republic Square in Yerevan during the Velvet Revolution (Photo credit: Press Office of the Government of Armenia)
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OTI awarded the Armenia Support Initiative (ASI) SWIFT IV Task Order to Management Systems
International, a Tetra Tech Company (MSI) in July 2019. ASI works primarily with Government of
Armenia (GoAM) entities to lay the foundations for lasting democratic change. The program’s
objectives are to support the government’s efforts to implement its reform agenda and build public
confidence through visible and tangible achievements. ASI implements activities at the national,
regional and local levels within thematic areas like public administration and e-governance,
strategic communications, corruption prevention, and community engagement.
2.2 CONTEXT
COVID-19 AND ARMENIA’S STATE OF EMERGENCY
In March 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic spreading around the world and governments
scrambling to respond, the GoAM declared a national state of emergency and encouraged all
employers to move to telework where possible, including government offices. Over the spring and
summer, the GoAM kept the state of emergency in place, implementing measures like temporarily
instructing citizens to only leave home for essential needs or activities, and requiring citizens to
complete a “movement form” and carry identification when leaving home. For a time, all mass
gatherings, rallies, and events of over 20 people were prohibited. For the unified management of
human and other resources needed during the state of emergency, the GoAM established a
special headquarters and appointed the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) as Commandant.
Throughout the reporting period, the Unified Info Center was primarily responsible for
communicating the GoAM’s steps to combat the pandemic to the Armenian people. As seen
globally, the national and local governments struggled to balance the lockdown and quarantine
measures, enacted to combat the spread of COVID-19, with their economic and psychosocial
impacts on the general populace. Between April and September 2020, the GoAM implemented
several social and economic support packages to mitigate COVID-19’s impact.
On September 11, 2020, the GoAM officially lifted the state of emergency, but kept in place some
restrictions aimed at stemming COVID-19’s spread. The state of emergency was replaced by a
nationwide quarantine regime through January 11, 2021. Wearing face masks in all public
spaces—both indoors and outdoors—and enforcing social distancing and hygiene rules for
businesses continue to be required across Armenia. At the conclusion of the reporting period,
Armenia’s COVID-19 case numbers are again trending upward.
RENEWED CONFLICT IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH
Beginning September 27, 2020, heavy fighting broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over
the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, reigniting a conflict, which began in the late 1980s, and
escalated into war in the early 1990s. The United States, Russia, and France are co-chairs of the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group, founded in 1992
and tasked with leading the OSCE's efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. As this reporting period concludes, the ASI team is closely monitoring the effects of the
conflict on both the Armenian people and ASI’s GoAM partners.
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3. RESULTS OF THE PROGRAM TO DATE
Activity Count Funding
Cleared Suspended Completed Closed Total Pending
Total Cleared Total Disbursed
43 1 8 27 $ 167,096 $ 4,053,652 $ 2,270,418
Table 1 – ASI Cumulative Activities & Funding (as of September 30, 2020)
Figure 2 - ASI Activity Map, September 2020
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3.1 ASI ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD
● 14,352 cloth masks procured and distributed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19
● Nine doctors deployed from France to provide surge medical support to Armenian
hospitals at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak
● 12 local artists in Gyumri provided with financial assistance to craft homemade toys for
kids, distributed to 700 families in Shirak Region
● 1,070 waste containers provided to Yerevan Municipality and communities in Shirak and
Syunik Marzes to support citizen clean-ups
● Three schools in Shirak and Gegharkunik Marzes renovated with insulated windows and
doors and updated heating in preparation for winter
4. PROGRESS OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES AND EVALUATION OF PROGRAM IMPACT TO
DATE
ASI’s support to the GoAM is grouped into three process clusters, whereby the program seeks to
provide targeted support to build or continue momentum or fill critical gaps, all contributing to
moving the needle toward systemic government reforms. The process clusters are: public
administration and e-governance, strategic communications, and corruption prevention. Between
April 1 and September 30, 2020, ASI cleared:
● Three activities with a total value of $318,077 in the public administration/e-governance
process cluster
● Nine activities with a total value of $458,462 in the strategic communications process
cluster
● Four activities with a total value of $156,685 in the corruption prevention process cluster
ASI also supports local and regional community engagement activities in Yerevan and throughout
all Marzes. During the reporting period, ASI cleared 11 activities in this cluster valued at $413,908
total.
Additionally, ASI supported the GoAM’s COVID-19 pandemic response by adapting previously
cleared activities and developing and implementing targeted COVID-19 response activities. To
date, ASI has cleared 16 activities that either directly or indirectly address the pandemic in
Armenia, with a total value of $1,014,626. Some of these activities are categorized within the
COVID-19 response cluster and one of the other four clusters mentioned above.
4.1 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND E-GOVERNANCE
E-governance tools are part of the GoAM’s promised public administration reforms and play an
important role in reducing corruption and ensuring the public can efficiently access services;
especially during COVID-19. The Digitization Board (DB) is an inter-ministerial body established
under the DPM in August 2019, in part to ensure the public administration system’s digitization
and to harmonize state agency digitization efforts. Since September 2019, ASI has been providing
support to GoAM and the DB to advance e-governance reforms and has developed strong,
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collaborative relationships with the DPM’s Office. The DB has reached several milestones one
year after being established:
● Piloted their review and approval process with three ASI-supported activities deemed critical
for GoAM;
● Created an e-governance working group comprised of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) from
all GoAM agencies and entities involved in digitization reform;
● The GoAM digital projects consider
the needs and priorities of all GoAM
entities;
● The DB has access to short-term
technical experts to analyze e-
governance business processes and
legislation, and plans to request
GoAM funding for their long-term
staffing needs; and
● The GoAM has started working with
a vendor to develop a unified citizen
services platform that will be
launched through the e-gov.am portal.
Figure 4 – Graphic produced by VXSOFT for the updated e-gov.am web portal (Credit: VXSOFT, Translation: ASI)
4.2 STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Over the last year, ASI has engaged with over ten GoAM agencies in 27 activities to improve
communication of the government's reform agenda and progress toward reforms, largely through
Figure 3 Digitization Board meeting headed by the Deputy Prime Minister (Photo Credit: Gov.am)
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equipment, technical expertise, and advertising support. All activities have been coordinated with
the Information and Public Relations Center (IPRC), a PM office entity. IPRC is responsible for
shaping and coordinating communications from the PM and line ministries to the public, and ASI
works with IPRC to ensure all activities align with GoAM anticipated communications reforms.
This support has enabled GoAM staff to organize their operations more effectively and use
provided media and teleconferencing equipment to produce professional, appealing video and
photo content that resonates with the public. ASI has also provided support in amplifying GoAM
messages through advertising on social media and regional television networks in an attempt to
increase public awareness. Public TV and the GoAM’s news agency, Armenpress, are also critical
partners in a country where outlets and private individuals with anti-government biases dominate
the media landscape.
ASI notes the following highlights in this cluster:
● Under the COVID-19 state of emergency, IPRC was able to pilot their centralized
communication structure to coordinate line ministry communications, and recently requested
ASI support to develop a plan and legislation for GoAM communications reform;
● The PM’s Press Office can now produce high quality print and video content, including
during PM trips to the regions of Armenia and abroad;
● IPRC has increased their operational efficiency, including their regional work, and enhanced
the quality of their photo and video products;
● Public TV now has functional, modern equipment and software for live broadcasts; and
● The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has professional support to increase public awareness around
ongoing police reforms.
4.3 CORRUPTION PREVENTION
ASI has supported the operationalization of the GoAM’s Corruption Prevention Commission
(CPC) since its inception. CPC is one of three new institutions (along with the Anti-Corruption
Court and the Anti-Corruption Council) that are central to GoAM’s corruption fighting efforts. This
is particularly notable, as corruption was a key driver of the 2018 “Velvet Revolution.” On July 3,
2020, PM Pashinyan chaired the periodic Anti-Corruption Policy Council meeting, receiving
briefings from the CPC Chairwoman and the MoJ on their activities and achievements in
advancing the country’s Anti-Corruption Strategy. During the meeting, the Chairwoman explained
that, "On the basis of the integrity methodology, the commission verified the integrity of those
persons included in the lists of candidates for confiscation of illegally acquired property,
prosecutors, and deputy prosecutors of Armenia coordinating this area, and introduced
conclusions on the assessment of the integrity of 26 candidates: in two cases the assessment
was negative, in eleven cases - positive with a reservation, and in thirteen cases – positive."
Recognizing the new system of integrity checks for appointees to public positions, the PM stated,
"For the first time, a candidate for a public position was exposed to integrity checks in
Armenia.” The Chairwoman also reported other significant milestones for CPC’s work, namely:
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● Improvement of the
system of declaration
of property, income,
and interests;
● Approval of a new
sample asset
declaration system;
● Approval of the
methodology of study
and analysis of
declarations and
selection criteria;
● Expansion of the circle
of declarants, with
3,568 declarations
submitted by officials;
● Development of an
integrity checking methodology for appointees to public positions and candidates for judges,
prosecutors, and investigators;
● Creation of a comprehensive methodology for assessing corruption risks in the public
administration system;
● Completion of a four-year institutional development work plan.
To date, ASI has supported CPC through ten different activities totaling approximately $450,000.
These activities include: equipping and repair of the CPC offices, website rebranding and
modernization, an awareness raising campaign CPC’s functions as well as videos and
promotional materials, a CPC strategic planning workshop, interim surge staff and logistical
support as CPC hires full-time civil service staff, and providing a team of international experts to
help navigate the complications of building a new organization, incorporate best practices related
to asset declarations and corruption prevention methodologies, and negotiate with international
donors. ASI’s rapid, near-term support is intended to lay the groundwork for long-term donor
engagements, specifically the USAID Mission’s planned, five-year Armenia Integrity Project. The
World Bank has also earmarked $400,000 from their loan portfolio to Armenia for the creation of
the CPC’s searchable asset declaration database, the central pillar of their anti-corruption
strategy, for which the ASI-supported international consultant team recently assisted in finalizing
the terms of reference and budget.
4.4 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Activities in the community engagement cluster bring together citizens and government to achieve a common good in their communities. Armenia’s future depends not only on a government that does its part to enact reforms, but also a citizenry who feel a sense of joint responsibility and agency in changing Armenia for the better. To date, ASI has completed or is currently implementing a total 24 activities, in close coordination with GoAM counterparts, to address
Figure 5 - CPC Chairwoman and Minister of Justice (Photo Credit: ASI)
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citizen requests in every region of the country. GoAM counterparts include senior officials in the national government and Marz heads in municipalities where activities have been implemented.
Under the slogan "Let's Do Something!,” ASI built on the community service campaign which inaugurated a kindergarten in a village in Shirak Marz, where community volunteers renovated the school with ASI-supplied materials. The campaigns grew to engage youth enrolled in a vocation program in a partnership with the country’s only homeless shelter, located in the Erebuni district of Yerevan, and new cultural and economic activities in Gegharkunik Marz.
Insufficient waste management is one of Armenian’s main national grievances. Several activities under this cluster have engaged regional municipalities and citizens around this issue, to demonstrate that the GoAM is responding to citizen requests by investing in improved waste management systems, while highlighting the role of citizens in proper waste disposal. Through four activities over the last year, ASI provided 1,070 waste containers and supported citizen clean ups in Yerevan Municipality, and consolidated communities in Shirak and Syunik Marzes.
ASI notes the following highlights in this cluster:
● ASI collaborated with the Ministry of Economy, Farmers’ Association, and Yerevan
Municipality to develop a new farmers’ market after 700 local farmers lost access to a
previously used municipal space in Yerevan;
● A cleanup involving tourism professionals reached 140,000 people on the GoAM’s main
social media, soon after the GoAM announced a new COVID support package for tourism
professionals.
5. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED AND ACTIONS TAKEN: RESPONDING TO COVID-19
Throughout the reporting period, as the GoAM reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on public gatherings and citizen movement evolved, the ASI team took steps to adapt programming and work safely while continuing to support the program’s government partners. In line with government orders and in consideration of staff health, the ASI team continued full telework (enacted in mid-March) through August 27, 2020, when MSI headquarters approved a partial return to office plan.
The ASI team conducted a full portfolio review in March and April 2020 to determine the viability of all current and planned activities under the state of emergency, and simultaneously worked closely with GoAM partners to identify new priority activities to support GoAM’s COVID-19 response. The state of emergency and international travel restrictions caused procurement delays under ASI activities, including through local and global vendors who were forced to work with
Figure 6 - The newly opened Farmers’ Market (Photo Credit: Ministry of Economy of RA)
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limited capacity and transportation options. The movement of goods across land borders continued despite limits to human crossing, and customs clearance for goods progressed slowly.
Throughout the crisis, ASI cleared rapid response activities to directly support GoAM crisis communications, regional administrations, and the country’s medical response. ASI supplied a key strategic communications office within the GoAM with laptops to create public information products and hired short-term specialists to help manage social media platforms and produce public health-oriented videos. ASI used Facebook extensively, including advertisements and graphics with accurate information on government requirements related to the state of emergency, reaching hundreds of thousands of Armenians. ASI provided computers and equipment to the RA Ministry of Emergency Services to support crisis response including, but
not limited to, the COVID-19 pandemic. ASI also purchased and installed video teleconferencing equipment for ministries, regional government, and the PM’s office to facilitate their work and ensure continuity.
The ASI team supported local and regional governments in their COVID response. In collaboration with one regional government partner, ASI provided 1,000 food and hygiene care packages to the regional administration to support hard-hit vulnerable families and elderly citizens. ASI also procured and distributed over 14,000 cloth face coverings to Armenian citizens to help counter the spread of COVID-19.
In June 2020, at the height of international travel restrictions, ASI worked with several GoAM partners to implement an activity that brought a team of French physicians to Armenia to share best practices and support the GoAM and hospitals with their response to COVID-19. This was the first team of international medical doctors to be fielded during the worst weeks of the pandemic. ASI also provided medical equipment, such as heart rate monitors and x-ray machines, for Armenian hospitals.
Figure 7 - French physician at St. Gregory the Illuminator Hospital
(Photo Credit: St. Gregory the Illuminator Hospital)