Yerevan, 14.02.2023 – Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge will pay a working visit to Yerevan between 15 and 17 February 2023. On 16 February 2023, he will launch the new Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026 together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan. The launch ceremony will take place at the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and it will be open to the media upon request (Armenian version of the Action Plan).
The opening will be followed by a presentation of the new Action Plan and an interactive discussion between high level representatives of the Armenian authorities and the Council of Europe on the progress achieved under the previous Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2019-2022 and the priority areas for co-operation between the Council of Europe and the Republic of Armenia for the next four years.
The event will be attended by representatives of the Government of Armenia, the National Assembly, diplomatic representations and international organisations, civil society and academia.
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Background:
The Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026 is a strategic four-year programming instrument that aims to bring Armenia’s legislation, institutions and practices further closer in line with European standards in the areas of human rights, the rule of law and democracy. The Action Plan is intended to support the country’s efforts to honour its obligations as a Council of Europe member state.
Under this Action Plan, the Council of Europe and the Armenian authorities have agreed to jointly carry forward co-operation programmes and projects aimed at supporting the national reform processes with the following key goals:
- to enhance the effectiveness of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) system and the protection of human rights in the biomedical field as well as the freedom of the media;
- to combat violence against women and improve children’s rights;
- to combat discrimination and promote the rights of minorities;
- to ensure respect for social rights;
- to enhance the independence and efficiency of justice;
- to fight corruption and cybercrime;
- to improve the healthcare conditions in prisons and enhance the role of probation in the judicial system;
- to promote good governance and local government reforms.
It is the third Action Plan of the Council of Europe for Armenia.
