On 8 November 2018, a session of the coalition formed in the scope of the “CSOs for Sustainable and Transparent Energy Development” (EU4STED) project implemented in the frames of the “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project funded by the European Union was convened in Argishti Hall of the Erebuni Plaza Business Centre. Apart from the founding CSOs of the CSO Coalition for Sustainable and Transparent Energy Development of Armenia, representatives of around a dozen organisations, as well as Karen Zadoyan, the “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project and the President of the “Armenian Lawyers’ Association” NGO, participated in the session.
In his welcome speech, he attached importance to the formation of the coalition of civil society organisations for the transparent energy development of Armenia. “No matter how professional they are in the sector and how big the expert potential is inside one organisation, their efforts are not enough as opposed to the effect of doing it together with all the actors in the field. We had similar experience years ago when we initiated a number of institutional reforms in our country in the scope of an anti-corruption project funded by the European Union, including criminalisation of illicit enrichment, protection of whistle-blowers’ rights. We had the expert potential but wouldn’t be able to realise it if we weren’t supported by non-governmental organisations that had the same values. This is how the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition was born. It has become an active actor now,” Karen Zadoyan stressed.
Astghine Pasoyan, the Director of the “Foundation to Save Energy” NGO and a founding member of the CSO Coalition for the Sustainable and Transparent Development of Armenia, noted, “For many years, when we were told that we should have gone against the ministry in the energy sector and had debates, conflicts, and disagreements with them, we said that if you one is professionally trained and the ministry knows their sector well, then if you put aside all disagreements, you can have that very constructive dialogue. In the region, they ask us many times how we have succeeded so much in the sector of energy, we respond that we just don’t argue and have constructive dialogue with the authorities in this sector.”
Astghine Pasoyan and Tamara Babayan, the Sustainable Energy Programmes Coordinator at the Foundation to Save Energy, presented the goals and projects of the coalition, the results expected from the actions to be taken in their scope, according to the declaration and rules and regulations of the coalition. They also answered participants’ questions.
They noted that the main goal of the coalition is the development of and advocacy for public policies, monitoring and improvement mechanisms and capacities of energy efficient initiatives of LSGs in the field of sustainable energy and climate change, as well as ensuring public participation, attaching importance to the transparency of solving these problems in community processes and increasing the involvement of female specialists.
According to the speakers, in order to activate women’s participation in oversight and monitoring of community activities regarding energy efficiency, sustainable energy and fight against climate change, the coalition in the scope of the project plans to involve CSOs and/or female experts, emphasising women’s participation in public processes.
It was highlighted that the efforts of founding members of the coalition resulted in training and capacity building programmes being implemented for new members, a female experts’ database will be created in order to develop upcoming long-term cooperation. The project’s extended scope of beneficiaries comprises the communities of Yerevan, Artik, Aparan, Akhtala, Alaverdi, Gavar, Goris, Hrazdan, Ijevan, Kapan, Qasakh, Masis, Paraqar, Spitak, Tashir, Tsaghkadzor, Vanadzor and Vayk.
At the moment, the founding group of the coalition carries out a significant amount of work in order to involve additional grant funds for joint project implementation, so that the Coalition implements long-term monitoring in the respective communities due to the knowledge received, using an online accountability and monitoring platform, builds political dialogue on sectoral issues, ensures the transparency and accountability of the activities of community authorities.
As a result of the discussion that took place, the new CSO members of the coalition joined the declaration of the coalition and expressed willingness to serve the objectives of the coalition, using the potential of their organisations.
Then the coalition’s governing board election took place, the board was formed, and its scope of activities is regulated through the rules and regulations of the Coalition.
After the session, a female specialists’ capacity building training was held for the representatives of the new CSO members of the coalition in order to support the monitoring of sustainable energy actions of communities. The founding members of the coalition presented the guide of the Sustainable Energy Development Needs Assessment of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the monitoring implementation process.
