On October 12, 2022, within the framework of the outreach mission to Armenia, Mr. Christophe Frering, Team Leader of the EC “Covenant of Mayors East” regional project and Mr. Artem Kharazyan, Country Expert in Armenia, met with Mrs. Natalia Lapauri, Manager of the EU-financed “Alliance for Better City Governance” project and with the project team.

The meeting was aimed at discussing the opportunities for establishment of cooperation between two projects for capacity building of municipal governments and implementation of joint activities to support Covenant signatories with data collection and management.

The aim of the “Alliance for Better City Governance” project is to promote sustainable and green management of the urban governance of Vanadzor and Gyumri (Covenant signatories) through improvement of policies, procedures and services in this area.

With the financial support of the EU, the both cities, assisted by their European partner city Pila from Poland, are embarking on a process of strengthening urban governance. This will be done by creating institutional capacities to address some of the priority gaps in governance and by bringing European experience and knowledge closer to the Armenian context.

Through the project, Vanadzor and Gyumri will be supported to develop Geographical Information Systems that is vital for urban planning. With a unified system for data storage and management, city managers will access the information they need immediately for making quality decisions related to infrastructure, utility systems, communication networks, spacial planning, environmental protection, etc. In developing this important system, the European experience will be sought.

Vanadzor and Gyumri municipalities will pioneer in Armenia in introducing smart public transportation solutions by establishing electronic ticket validation system and importing the first 10 environmentally friendly electric buses. This will help cities meet their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Partner city Pila of Poland will make practical knowledge in this sphere available to Armenian counterparts.

The project will support the two target cities and nearby communities to design and offer their citizens a greener environment. This involves support with upgrading waste management services, as well as promoting development of infrastructures for effective waste recycling. Another priority for the project is to focus on raising awareness and promoting practices such as waste separation and recycling.