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From 2 to 5 February, a study visit of senior officials of the Government of Armenia took place in Stockholm. The visit was organised within the framework of the Support to Decentralisation and Local Self-Government Reforms in Armenia (DeaLoG) programme.
The aim of the study visit was to explore Sweden’s experience in decentralisation and the role of local self-government in the management and delivery of public services. The programme also included visits to municipalities and schools, offering valuable insights into governance models, the distribution of responsibilities, and quality assurance mechanisms.
The governmental delegation included Avetik Darbinyan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, and Ashot Giloyan, Head of the Local Self-Government Policy Department; Araksya Svajyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, and Anush Lalazaryan, Head of the Department for General and Extracurricular Education Policy Development and Analysis; Vahan Sirunyan, Deputy Minister of Finance; as well as Tigran Avinyan, Mayor of Yerevan.
During the study visit, meetings were held with senior representatives of the Swedish Government and public institutions, including senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, and a visit was made to the Swedish Parliament. The programme also included meetings with the President of the Stockholm City Council and education sector representatives, providing insights into Stockholm’s municipal governance and education system. In addition, visits to municipalities and educational institutions were organised to gain practical experience and insights into governance models, the distribution of responsibilities, and quality assurance mechanisms.
The study visit provided valuable insights into Sweden’s decentralisation framework and practices, contributing to ongoing efforts to strengthen local self-government reforms in Armenia.