Cross-Cutting Initiatives

hands stacked USAID’s cross-cutting activities contribute to all technical sectors of the country program. Accomplishments of these programs include:

Mid-term evaluation of the Chamber of Advocates 2007-2011 Strategic Plan
National conference for the Ministry of Education 2008-2015 State Program of Education Development
Support for accreditation of the Armenian accounting association
Concept paper for the Ministry of Economy on the Gyumri Technopark Strategy Development Program
Assessment of the Telecommunications Department of the Public Services Regulatory Commission
Training, study tours and assistance for Yerevan and Gyumri based hotels, restaurants and tour guides
U.S. study tour for the State Employment Services Agency (SESA)
Study tour on open enrollment systems to Estonia for the Ministry of Health
Assessment of Maternal and Child Health, Reproductive Health, and Family
Planning services in Armenia
Wide-ranging professional exchanges between Armenia and the United States including local government officials, special education teachers, election commission members, business associations, hotel managers and medical clinic administrators.
Cultural, artistic and professional exchanges to contribute to mutual understanding between the peoples of Armenia and Turkey

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

Eurasia Partnership Foundation (12/2001-09/2009, $13.8m): EPF is the local, legacy institution of Eurasia Foundation in the South Caucasus. With an office registered in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, EPF began full operations as a local organization on February 1, 2008. The Foundation’s new governance structure and mandate areas renew its emphasis on supporting local stakeholders to drive positive social change. USAID/Armenia funds EPF support for private sector development, good governance and civil society, social science research and strengthened regional cooperation. The Armenia-Turkey Cross-Border Program, launched in 2006, strengthening the capacities of non-government, local government and business sectors to develop and maintain cross-border partnerships. [Implemented by Eurasia Foundation/U.S.]

USAID-funded in-country training programs and overseas study tours help enhance the knowledge and skills of selected ministries and professions to advance institutional reforms

Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) (09/2005-09/2009, $8.6m): This program emphasizes performance improvement of individuals and institutions critical to the achievement of the Mission’s Strategy. USAID/Armenia uses performance and institutional needs analyses and stresses coordination of knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) enhancement through training with other technical assistance interventions. [Implemented by Academy for Educational Development]

Community Connections (09/2005-09/2009, $1.8m): This exchange program, formerly managed by the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), is designed to promote public diplomacy through the exchange of cultural ideas and values between participants, U.S. families and local community host organizations. [Implemented by World Learning, Inc./U.S.]

American University of Armenia Endowment (09/1999-09/2009, $9.56m): The 1999 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act directed USAID to establish an endowment to allow the university to retain long term faculty, improve management of curricula, and attract funding from other donors. The endowment is intended as perpetual with only returns to be spent. USAID monitoring is to end after ten years unless a compelling need for further oversight is identified. Additional grants have been made for renovation of buildings and for needed equipment through USAID’s Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA). [Implemented by American University of Armenia Corporation; asset manager Regents of the University of California]

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Cross-Border Programs: The U.S. Government will intensify work in peace and reconciliation processes to encourage the peaceful resolution of Armenia's conflicts with its immediate neighbors and to promote regional integration, confidence-building and mutual understanding as precursors of normalized relations. The Mission’s priories for cross-border programs are regional trade, energy cooperation and people-to-people contact.

Eurasia Partnership Foundation: FY 2009 is the last year of USAID funding commitment to EF.

Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD): An extension of the HICD through 09/2010 is planned to enable piloting of parliamentary assistance and continuation of actuarial training. The merits of a follow-on participant training program will be assessed based on programming needs and available resources.

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