Monday, 25 May 2009
Yesterday Armenia’s National Competitiveness Fund (ANCF) Board of Trustees met in the Office of Government, presided at by board chairman, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
The public sector was represented by deputy board chairman, Chief Presidential Adviser on Economic Affairs Vahram Nercissiantz, Minister of Economy Nerces Yeritzyan, Minister of Finance Tigran Davtyan, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan, CBA Head Arthur Javadyan. In turn, the private sector was represented by Executive Director of Troika-Dialog Company Ruben Vardanyan, head of the Munich office of McKinsey & Co. Andre Andonyan, Executive Director of Walters Kluwer PCi Raffi Festekjian, as well as head of the World Bank Armenia Office Aristomene Varudakis and ANCF Executive Director Bekor Papazyan.
The ANCF is supposed to promote economic growth and competitiveness in Armenia by engineering a powerful and competitive Armenian World, so as blessed with the needed potential, our country may become a regional center in a number of areas, such as health care, education and tourism. The Fund has the task of designing and implementing investment programs of strategic relevance, building up appropriate capacity and infrastructure. In cooperation with domestic ministries and government agencies, the Fund will seek to develop and pursue business-friendly policy and reforms in Armenia.
ANCF Executive Director Bekor Papazyan came up with a number of proposals concerning the strategy, work plan, organization and budgeting of the Fund. Then, the meeting examined strategic programs pertaining to health care, education and tourism. As a result, corresponding action plans have been endorsed.
Reforms in the health care and educational spheres were said to be in want of a competitive dimension in addition to ensuring higher service quality and affordability for the population. In this context, international expert, Dr Reinhard Witchels produced a report entitled “A vision on getting success factors in the health care sector.” Speaking about the challenges facing Armenia’s health care sector, he expressed high opinion of the efforts made so far. At the same time, he pointed out the existing shortfalls and the low level of national competitiveness. The report was appreciated by board members who said it might be used at further stages (during the strategic phase).
Then the Board treated the issue of the All-Armenian bank. Under the resolutions passed by the ANCF, the Bank will provide financing for such nationwide projects with well-pronounced innovative elements as implemented by pan-Armenian network members in any part of the globe in particular. To this end, international expert Louise Mombra presented her comments and suggestions concerning the Bank’s organization and its business plan, which were taken notice of by the meeting.
Next, the meeting took the time to review the latest global crisis-related developments and the Government’s anti-crisis efforts aimed at ensuring sustained growth for Armenia’s competitiveness.
In conclusion, considering that education is coming to the forefront of social and economic developments, the next board meeting was decided to have an exclusively educational agenda.
