News - Strengthening democracy in Armenia: Switzerland launches 10-year project of CHF 9 million

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) launches a project "Democratic Institutions and Participatory Policies in Armenia" (DIPPA). An amount of CHF 9 million (around 10.5 Mio. US$) is envisaged for the period 2023-2033. The project budget is subject to a recurring review by the SDC of the feasibility of the project from an overall budgetary perspective The project is structured around three primary goals. Firstly, it seeks to support public institutions to be more inclusive in their tasks of policymaking and budgeting. Secondly, it empowers individuals and citizen groups to engage constructively and innovatively with these institutions towards balanced, broader-based policy solutions. Lastly, it strengthens the role of independent media in promoting public awareness and constructive dialogue. These goals collectively envision a future where democracy and relevant state institutions are robustly supported by an informed and engaged citizenry. Key partners in this endeavor include an array of state institutions, notably the Prime Minister's Office, the National Assembly of Armenia, the Ministry of Finance, various line ministries, and select pilot municipalities. As non-governmental democracy stakeholders, selected specialized civil society organizations and impartial media outlets will be included in the project. The DIPPA project is a direct response to recent initiatives of Armenia's government to bolster public participation. It aims at bringing about comprehensive enhancements to democratic processes by refining and expanding existing political and institutional mechanisms. The overarching objective of the project is to further strengthen Armenia’s democratic institutions and culture at both the national and local levels, fostering consensus-driven decision-making and, thus, politically more sustainable and technically more balanced policy solutions.