|
|
|
TWINNING
LAUNCHING WORKSHOP
|
TWINNING
LAUNCHING WORKSHOP
|
|
Organisation and Co-ordination of Twinning Launching Workshops in Armenia and Georgia Twinning, as an institutional building tool aimed at supporting political, economic and administrative reforms in beneficiary countries, has been a relatively recent addition to the EU's toolbox used in the context of ENPI with respect to Armenia and Georgia. Unsurprisingly, neither Armenia nor Georgia has any relevant knowledge or practical experience in applying this tool expertly, in a way to enable administrations and semi-public organizations in both countries to derive maximum benefit from this new form of technical cooperation. The above lack of necessary expertise in the two countries is obviously a gap to be filled in an expeditious manner if Armenia and Georgia mean to advance further in the development of modern and efficient administrations and organisations at central, regional and local level, with the structures, human resources and management skills needed to implement the acquis communautaire to standards maximally approximated to those of EU Member States. In this context, twinning features as an exceptional 'a window of opportunity' both for Armenia and Georgia, as it is nearly the only instrument presently at hand of the two countries capable of providing an effective framework for administrations in the two countries to work closely with their EU counterparts and encourage the establishment of networks based on a partnership where the beneficiary country is the driving force for change. Obviously, the ultimate goal of the twinning exercise will be to help the two countries speed up the process of administrative reform and facilitate the design and implementation of efficient public policies by empowering the relevant organizations in the two countries. This, in turn, implies helping the civil servant engaged in twinning projects acquire the essential knowledge necessary to effect the long-awaited changes and bring about successful reforms in the field of public administration. Given all this, amassing local expertise and achieving mastery in applying twinning as an institutional building tool appears to be of critical importance for both countries. In the light of the above, EC Delegation's intent to hold the two twinning workshops in Armenia and Georgia, undoubtedly, come as an extremely timely, as well as logical, decision. We believe that the workshops serve an excellent launching pad for the twinning process in the two countries as they are aimed at giving the participants an understanding of the purpose, principles and procedures of twinning and providing an essential insight into such issues as: the rationale behind the twinning activities to be carried out, basic twinning instruments, best practices, common eligibility criteria, institutional structure of twinning, the role and responsibilities of each actor involved in its implementation (i.e.: the European Commission, the Programme Administration Office, Beneficiary Administrations, line ministries and focal points), etc., together with the fundamental principles that underlie each and every Twinning Project. Based on the workshop objectives, we believe the said events provide a unique platform to stress the importance of approximating to European best practices and standards, as well as convey a common understanding of the acquis communautaire and encourage the participants to use the operational guidelines for twinning operations contained in the Common Twinning Manual and other relevant publications. And last but not least, the workshops will furnish yet another opportunity to highlight the leading role of EU in supporting the institutional building in the beneficiary countries and enhance the visibility of EU as a key actor supporting the said countries on their way towards building genuinely democratic, law-governed and prosperous states. Our company, CSN Caucasus Ltd., is fully aware of the importance of the priorities set forth by the EU Delegation in organising the two Twinning Launching Workshops, in Yerevan, Armenia and Tbilisi, Georgia. We are both willing and capable to work constructively to fulfill all tasks and functions of an implementing partner with due responsibility, professionalism and flair, in order to facilitate achievement of the EU Delegation's goals and results for the two workshops - in Yerevan and Tbilisi. Mara
TSAKADZE, Merab STURUA & Ken OUZOUNIAN |
|
For more information contact to Ms. Mara TSAKADZE
Copyright
© 'CSN Caucasus' Ltd., 2004-2009. All Rights Reserved. Tbilisi - Georgia
Ken OUZOUNIAN
