At its sixty-first session in September 2000, the ECE Committee on Human Settlements accepted the proposal of the Bureau of the Working Party on Land Administration to provide expert assistance to Armenia on land administration issues (ECE/HBP/119, annex I, programme element “Land registration and land markets”). Security of tenure is one of the most important factors in fighting poverty and stabilizing communities by improving housing conditions through housing investments, reducing social exclusion, improving access to urban services, environment and safety in urban areas. The ECE secretariat in cooperation with the office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Armenia and the Armenian land administration authorities esta blished the terms of reference and the programme of the visit (see annexes I and II). The mission of the expert team (see annex III) lasted from 19 to 24 November 2000. An informal follow-up consultation took place in Geneva on 16- 17 February 2001 to revise the draft report and clarify findings with the Armenian land administration authorities.