UNDP promotes IT development in Armenia

UNDP is the UN's global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We operate in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.

UNDP in support of Armenia has initiated a number of initiatives over the past three years intended to utilize additional development benefits offered by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to promote democratic governance and Information Society (IS) through the accelerated progress toward e-governance. UNDP has accomplished these purposes by developing and implementing a second generation of ICTD projects focused on the demonstration of convincing results of how ICTs can be used for public good by expanding affordable access to the Internet through Freenet and PIAPs’ services; creating the Armenian language Web domain; integrating e-governance into the public sector management at central and regional levels through e-GSTA and e-Visa; advocating enabling Information Society and telecommunication policies; developing and putting into practice effective partnerships with private sector through ArCa e-Payment; encouraging peer-to-peer online networking among professionals and population groups; expanding the use of the Armenian language on the Internet and widen the Armenian Web content; improving external assistance management system in the government via online instruments.
The key fields of IT in Armenia are projected to be the development of are: Telecommunication, eGovernment, eCitizen, eHealth, X-Road, ID-Card.
The major focus today is accessibility, connectivity and local content. There are also discussions about innovative financing for new initiatives highlighting the benefits that ICT brings to the educational sector such as: access to global databases for new ideas and existing best practices, group project collaborations, teacher training through simulations and education system management.