UN Conference hall
October 24, 2003

The seminar was attended by 32 participants from the Ministries of Nature Protection, Education and Sciences, National Statistics Service, Higher Educational Establishments, Science and Research Institutes, NGOs, UNDP/NCSA Project experts and staff.

Ms. Diana Harutyunyan, the coordinator of the NCSA project welcomed the participants and presented the goal of NCSA project. Later on, Ms. Harutyunyan introduced Mr. Bernhard Boehm, an international expert invited by the Project, who would be the main facilitator of the seminar.

Mr. Boehm presented the interrelationship between economy and environment, as well as the methodology for cross cutting assessment of national capacities, based on UNITAR guides, that should be applied by Project experts in preparation of their assessment reports. He made a long presentation on the issue and after all the presentations prearranged by the agenda, participants started holding discussions. 

Based on the table presented at the seminar Mr. Erik Grigoryan suggested that an assumption is made or set in the left column, then the goal is defined, whereas, Mr. B.B noted that first of all its necessary to know what to do and how to do and only after that make an assumption.

Ms. Nune Asatryan asked Mr. B.B. whether there are any clearly defined indicators for conducting the assessment. Mr. B.B. answered that the Project has a rather important mission and it is a general issue of development for countrys economy. Thus, it is not only the objective of the Conventions. It is necessary to assess the present critical capacities necessary for the economical development of the country. These capacities need to be identified and addressed in time.

Ms. Nazik Khanjyan asked Mr. B.B. whether this model can be applied for other targets, the latter revealed the possibility for applying this model also for the use of wood/forest resources. In his speech he also explained the decrease of wood consumption by the change of technologies.

Mr. M. Vermishev noted that the mentioned model, which was initially developed in Moscow, has already been used in Armenia.

Mr. Bernhard Boehm also presented the participants the three levels of national capacities: individual, institutional and systemic. He, then, focused on the thematic assessment reports developed by the three thematic groups, and especially expressed his good opinion on the Biodiversity report, where in a separate table the strengths and weaknesses of capacities are provided. It is desirable that the other two reports follow this format and structure.

Mr. Boehm also signified the need for cooperation between workgroups both on group expert and leader levels.

The seminar was wrapped up by the NCSA Project coordinator- Diana Harutyunyan.

The seminar was elucidated by ArmNews TV Channel, the Armenian branch of EuroNews, during which two participants of the seminar, Ms. Gayane Ghukasyan and Mr. Aram Gevorgyan gave an interview to reporters on the goals of NCSA Project and the aim of organizing the seminar. The program was launched on the same day, Oct. 24 and was re-shown four times during the next days.

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