YEREVAN. - I am encouraged by what I have seen in Armenia these past nine months, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills stated in his speech at the meeting with the representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia (AmCham) today.

“While progress remains to be made, particularly in rural regions, I have observed a vibrant civil society that does not hesitate to voice criticism. In fact, I assess that Armenian civil society is, after the Baltic nations, among the most vital and active in the former Soviet Union.

Many non-governmental organizations in Armenia cooperate effectively with government institutions, and we strongly support this trend. I think one of the most successful examples of government-civil society partnerships I’ve seen is the Trafficking-in-Persons Inter-agency Working Group, which represents virtually all Armenian government ministries, civil society representatives, and international organizations that work to stop the scourge of the trafficking-in-persons,” the Ambassador said.

According to him, while such examples of effective government and civil society cooperation exist, much more is still needed to be done. “I want to encourage both the Armenian government and civil society organizations to more fully embrace constructive engagement. Too often, the Armenian Government does not reach out to civil society to consult on matters of shared interest or to take advantage of their expertise. And when opportunity does present itself, civil society is sometimes skeptical and hesitant to engage with the Government.

Members of civil society must take the lead in constructively pushing for the reforms they want to see in their country. Protests can galvanize the public and serve to create an environment for change, but setting realistic goals, engaging with government, and building advocacy are equally important and require both patience and dedicated work. Our message to civil society is this: develop your organizational and advocacy capacities and build up local constituencies. Become independent and financially sustainable. That is what Armenian society needs: strong, savvy, and financially sustainable NGOs that can represent the needs and concerns of their constituencies,” said Richard Mills.