U.S. Donates Training Facility, IT Equipment, Office Furniture to Gugark Regional Office of State Customs Service in Armenia

September 29, 2006

On September 29, 2006, the U.S. Embassy in Armenia dedicated a Training Facility, IT equipment and office furniture to the Gugark Regional Office of the State Customs Service, located in Vanadzor. U.S. Chargé d´Affaires Anthony Godfrey and Head of Gugark Regional Office of the State Customs Service Mr. Armen Movsisyan signed the memo of donation. The U.S. Government invested over $19,000 dollars to complete renovations of the building and provided over $33,000 in IT equipment and office furniture through the U.S. Embassy´s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Office.

The Vanadzor Customs Training Center will be the only Regional Training Facility outside of Yerevan. Prior to the U.S. Embassy renovations, no such regional training facility existed. The Gugark Regional Office of the State Customs Service covers five points of entry: Jiliza, Bagratashen, Gogavan, Privolni and Airum. The State Customs Service employs almost 200 officers in the Gugark Region Office. This new training facility will enable the Government of Armenia to more efficiently train its Customs personnel, as well as avoid the time and expense of sending officers to Yerevan.

The U.S. Government also provided the Center with a local computer network which will greatly increase the effectiveness of training courses. Particular focus will be given to the use of IT technologies in the daily work of the Customs Service.

This project is only one part of the U.S. Government´s comprehensive law enforcement assistance program in the Republic of Armenia. The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, through its International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Section and Export Control and Border Security sections, has renovated the Border Guards Training Facility in Yerevan, has donated training equipment and computer infrastructure equipment to the Prosecutor's Office Training Facility and the Police Training Academy, is currently involved in the renovation of the Police Induction Center, and plans to contribute to the development of the curricula of the Police Induction Center. The U.S. Embassy is also assisting in the establishment of the first independent Forensics Lab in Armenia and is working with the Government of Armenia to develop a nationwide computer network for the police. The U.S. Government provides approximately $3 million a year in law enforcement assistance to Armenia.