E-governance as a Tool for Facilitating the Government to Attract Foreign Investments

What we do

The digital economy is becoming an ever more important part of the global economy. It offers many new opportunities for inclusive and sustainable development. It also comes with serious policy challenges – starting with the need to bridge the digital divide.

The UNDP Armenia is striving to introduce good democratic and economic governance systems to achieve an improved business environment, allowing for civil society, local businesses and other stakeholders to influence policy making and to contribute to economic diversification in Armenia.

Funded by the Austrian Development Agency, and in partnership with the Development Foundation of Armenia (DFA), UNDP in Armenia has initiated a project that aims to improve the investment and doing business environment in Armenia, leading to strengthening of Armenia’s competitiveness. This joint project aims to reduce corruption and arbitrary decision-making in the investment field and will provide the government with a tool to better manage business procedures.It intends to utilize a set of efficient and participative tools and methodologies developed by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), aimed mainly at clarifying and simplifying administrative procedures. The tool will be built on the basis of a Content Management System (CMS) called “eRegulations,” developed by UNCTAD, already operational in 34 countries. It is an affordable, turn-key solution for governments to clarify and publicize administrative procedures. It assumes a bottom-up, pragmatic approach of documenting procedures step-by step, from the user’s point of view, and in publishing them on an online portal. 

The project contributes to SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all, and SDG 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.

Expected results

·       At least 12 procedures related to investment are publicly accessible online in Armenian, Russian and English (such as land lease or acquisition - purchase of, or investment in, existing companies - construction permits - business licenses - work permits, Environmental Impact Assessment, etc.)

·       Local counterpart publishes new procedures and administers the system autonomously.

·       Simplification proposals are made for 4 priority procedures.

·        One or various local counterparts are able to simplify procedures using the eRegulations system and applying UNCTAD’s “10 principles to simplify administrative procedures”.