Cooperation outside the agreed core areas: good governance Strengthening state and society

Armenia's public administration is facing great challenges: services are often inefficient, rarely available online and hard to access, especially in rural areas. Structural deficits in the governance system and too little tangible progress in combatting corruption are hindering trust and the ability to reform. That is why the BMZ's projects are supporting efforts to modernise the administration, build capacities and strengthen civil society.

In Armenia, the public sector is underperforming. Many services are inefficient, not available digitally and hard to access, especially in rural areas. According to the World Bank, only around five per cent of the population use digital public services and many services still require people to be physically present. This increases barriers and hampers productivity. Moreover, OECD analyses show a fragmented administrative system with insufficient coordination, weak innovation and participation structures and limited capacities in the civil service. All of which is a sign that reforms are needed to make the administration transparent, efficient and responsive to people's needs. In addition, anti-corruption efforts are showing no measurable progress. As a consequence, people have less faith in public institutions.

Goals for the sector

The aim is to strengthen public institutions and civil society organisations in the southern Caucasus so as to provide a solid foundation for democracy, the rule of law and a responsive administration. Public administration reforms, alignment with the standards of the European Union and regional dialogue are to contribute to making public services more efficient, transparent and accessible.

Project examples

One project is strengthening state institutions and administrations at national, regional and local level in order to improve citizen-focused services. The focus is on optimising the legal and institutional framework, capacity building, public participation and the provision of gender-sensitive services.
The countries of the southern Caucasus are modernising their administrations as part of regional cooperation and aligning them with EU standards. The project is strengthening the skills of civil servants and decision-makers and supporting national reforms, including in the areas of digitalisation, public services, EU integration and e-governance. At the same time, it is promoting the exchange of best practices and mutual learning between countries.
Another project is strengthening local civil society organisations through capacity building, networking and the implementation of joint projects. Training courses, exchange programmes and pilot projects are helping to consolidate the role of these organisations in the long term.

to the overview page on Armenia (External link)

As at: 26/05/2026