Friday, 18 September 2009
Today the RA National Competitiveness Council held its 12th enlarged session at the Government’s Guest House, chaired by RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
The agenda comprised the following items: review of economic development trends worldwide and at home, submission of projects on the launching and expansion of the all-Armenian network, hearing of Competitiveness Fund’s performance report, discussion of its by-laws and rules of procedure. The session was attended by representatives from the Armenian private sector and donor community.
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan briefed the participants on Armenia’s current economic standing and development prospects, outlined ways of achieving enhanced national competitiveness. In attendance was Senior Minister of the Republic of Singapore Lee Kwan Yu, a former prime minister and the author of the economic miracle operated in that country. He spoke about the lessons drawn out from his government’s drive to enhance Singapore’s national competitiveness.
Mindful of the importance of today’s meeting, Tigran Sargsyan said in particular: “This meeting is particular in that it is attended by former prime minister of Singapore, Senior Minister Lee Kwan Yu who is in Armenia at the invitation of the Armenian President, and we can avail ourselves of this exclusive opportunity to discuss a wide range of topical issues. This is also an opportunity to formulate and state the Fund’s mission. First, the Council of the Fund attempted to make the concept clearer to the public. Its ideology basically stems from the principle of public-private sector cooperation. The National Competitiveness Fund is a new tool enabling the State to carry out serious programs in cooperation with the private sector, and demonstrate to the international community the present and future roles of Armenia and Armenians. This means we should know what we are in for in terms of modern challenges, and which way we can uplift Armenia’s national competitiveness based on the principle of public-private sector cooperation.”
In the words of Singapore’s Senior Minster, Armenia should manage to step over its regional neighbors and reach a new stage of development in quality terms by making a better use of Diaspora’s potential.
Republic of Armenia Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Republic of Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kwan Yu answered a set of questions of interest to media.
