Today, UNDP in Armenia launched a new three-year project - “Accountable, Effective and Gender-responsive Institutional Systems for Policing and Rescue Service in Armenia” (AEGIS) –  to enhance the institutional and professional capacities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, targeting the Police and the Rescue Service.

This new initiative, funded by the European Union and implemented jointly by UNDP and the OSCE, aims to improve the effective and accountable institutional set-up of both the Police and Rescue Service to ensure high-quality, citizen-centric service delivery, guided by international standards and EU best practice.

EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos, RA Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia Natia Natsvlishvili, Deputy Director for Operations Service of the OSCE Secretariat Conflict Prevention Centre  Shawn DeCaluwe (online), delivered welcoming remarks at the event. 

Highlighting the scope of the partnership, Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, said: “The joint focus on the Police and the Rescue Service is especially important, as they share a common, life-saving mission. Our vision is an Armenia where security institutions are not only strong, but also accountable and citizen-oriented — where due process and the protection of human rights are at the heart of every interaction.”

By achieving its goals, AEGIS aims to make a lasting impact on democratic policing and disaster risk management in Armenia. It seeks to ensure that the core principles of good governance, the rule of law, and respect for human rights are firmly embedded in public service delivery and everyday practice.