On June 10, a delegation led by Ursula Läubli, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Armenia and Deputy Regional Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in the South Caucasus, conducted a field visit to beneficiaries of the “Socio-Economic Integration of Refugees in Armenia” (SEIRA) project residing in the Chambarak community, Gegharkunik region.

The delegation was accompanied by Mkrtich Ayvazyan, Chairman of the Strategic Development Agency NGO, Vahe Hovhannisyan, SEIRA Project Manager, and the representatives of the UN World Food Programme Armenia.

The visit began at the Chambarak Community Hall, where the delegation met with Robert Ohanyan, First Deputy Head of the Community, along with community staff and representatives of the RA Integrated Social Service of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The discussion focused on the socio-economic challenges faced by forcibly displaced people from Artsakh settled in the community, ongoing state-supported programs and current interventions implemented under the SEIRA project.

The delegation also visited the Kalavan settlement, where they met with beneficiary families who have received support to engage in livestock farming. These families now benefit from a more stable and sustainable source of income as a result of project’s intervention.

The agenda further featured visits to families, supported through the UN World Food Programme (WFP) component of the SEIRA project.

The “Socio-Economic Integration of Refugees in Armenia” (SEIRA) project fosters socio-economic integration by improving food security, creating sustainable livelihoods, and empowering both refugees and host communities in Armenia, promoting resilience and economic growth through agricultural and business development.

The SEIRA project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and implemented by the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO and the UN World Food Programme.

On June 7 and 8, 2025, within the framework of the “Development of Irrigated Agriculture in the Ararat and Armavir Regions” (IADAAM) program, two intensive thematic training sessions were successfully conducted. These sessions were designed specifically for the staff of the Agricultural Departments under the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, aimed at enhancing their leadership, communication, and negotiation skills – both at the individual and team levels.

The trainings were delivered by Magda Arsenyan, PhD in Political Science, whose experienced and specialized approach ensured high participant engagement and effective achievement of the training objectives.

On June 7, the training session entitled “Leadership in Public Administration: From Self-Awareness to Effective Crisis Management” was conducted. Throughout this comprehensive program, participants engaged in an in-depth examination of the core leadership principles pertinent to the public administration sector. The session also addressed the critical influence of socio-psychological factors on managerial processes, alongside the development and implementation of effective strategies for crisis prevention and management.

On June 8, the participants proceeded with the training titled “Communication, Negotiation, and Conflict Resolution”. This training focused on enhancing participants’ proficiency in communication by exploring a wide array of mechanisms, including communication techniques, strategic planning, digital and remote communication platforms, active listening, public speaking, and constructive feedback – integrating both theoretical frameworks and practical applications. Furthermore, participants were introduced to diverse negotiation models, conflict resolution methodologies, and advanced persuasion tactics.

Irrigated Agriculture Development in Ararat and Armavir marzes (IADAAM) project, financed through the European Union (EU) with implementation by the French Development Agency (AFD) is an integrated initiative aimed at transforming irrigated agriculture in Armenia.

Within IADAAM project a technical assistance component is implemented jointly by Agriconsulting Europe S.A, Avenue Consulting Group LLC, Strategic Development Agency NGO and 3R Strategy LLC consortium and aims to provide institutional support to the Ministry of Economy (MoE) in the formulation of agricultural policies and reforms in priority areas, provide technical support to the MoE in the implementing project activities, ensure communication and reporting for the IADAAM project.