Institute for Civil Society and Regional Development (ICSRD)

Type:

NGO

Contacts:

Aghavni Karakhanian (Director), Shushan Khatlamajyan (Coordinator)

Address:

Vardanants Line-end 8, IV Floor Yerevan 0010 Armenia

Phone:

(374 10) 54 11 34

Fax:

(374 10) 54 11 34

Mobile:

(374 10) 54 11 34

Web site:

www.icsrd.am

Mission:

Institute for Civil Society and Regional Development (ICSRD) is an Yerevan-based independent, not-for-profit, non governmental think-tank with a research agenda covering the major political, economic and social issues facing Armenia, Caucasus and its neighbourhood.
ICSRD exists to research, raise awareness and stimulate debate on a wide range of issues relevant to both Armenia and the International Community. It is founded to meet the need for an independent research, study, policy analysis and development, information and debate on different issues. Its range includes an active interest in civil society, democratisation, governance, globalisation, and international affairs, with a particular focus on regional development, cooperation and security questions. ICSRD is also committed to promoting new thought and ideas on contemporary conflict resolution and the changing shape of international relations generally. The ICSRD is independent and it alone decides what activities to conduct. It owes no allegiance to any government, or to any political or other organisation. The Institute is committed to undertaking relevant and focused projects, and to scrupulous academic standards.
The main objectives of the Institute are five-fold: research on issues of political, economic and social significance, documentation of materials on these issues, publication of research results, organising training for interested groups, and liaising with institutions which share broadly similar objectives. The primary objective of ICSRD is to promote the establishment of civil society in Armenia and its engagement to the processes of regional and international development and cooperation as well as to facilitate the political and economic reform process contributing to the democratisation process in the frames of Institute's research interests.

Research Focus:

Main sectors and themes of research focus are as follow:
- SMEs improvement and development,
- cross-boarder economic cooperation (trade),
- Centre - Periphery business relations (SMEs),
- taxes and customs policy in Armenia,
- economic legislation (Laws on taxes, customs, lobbying),
- perspectives of regional economic cooperation

Research Topics:

Main ongoing research topics are:
- ‘Business and Conflict’ with main focus on SMEs and its peacemaking potential aiming at conflict resolution
- Comparative research of taxes and customs systems of Armenia and all other South Caucasian countries
- SMEs economic potential and improvement of business inter-regional ties in Armenia, especially in boarder regions (Launching the Regional Business Centre in Yerevan as part of Caucasus Business Development Network (CBDN), embracing all South Caucasian countries, including non-recognised entities and Turkey (August 2006) Project is sponsored by International Alert (UK)).

Main Researches:

1. The Economics and Conflict: The Role and Significance of Economic Cooperation in the Settlement of Conflicts in the South Caucasus. In: From War Economies to Peace Economies in the South Caucasus. International Alert, (July 2004) (In English and Russian)
2. Gender, State and Globalization, United Nations Development Fund for Women Armenia (UNIFEM), 2003 (in Armenian and English)
3. New Global Challenges. Women for Peace and Non-Violence, in: Women with University Education Newsletter, March-August 2002 (In Russian)
4. Globalization and Integration, In: Ten Years of Independence and Transition in Armenia. UN Human Development Report (NHDR) Armenia 2001, Yerevan 2001 (In Armenian and English)
5. US Geopolitical Interests in the South Caucasus: the Continuity of External Political Regulations, Yerevan 2001 (in Russian)