The Armenian-Russian Interregional Forum is currently taking place in Yerevan. The event, which is organised by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development and the Armenian Ministry of Territorial Administration includes a series of roundtable discussions as well as a business mission of the Russian export center with the participation of firms and entrepreneurs. The summit, which is in its eight edition, aims to foster co-operation between the regions of the two states.
The prime minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, kicked off the forum with a message read by the deputy prime minister, Mher Grigoryan, welcoming all participants and highlighting the importance of such events in maintaining the close relationship between Russia and Armenia.
He noted that Russia plays a key role in the maintenance of peace and stability in the region, as well as in Armenia’s economy. “Russia is Armenia's leading trade partner. In 2019, our trade turnover exceeded the threshold of $ 2.0 billion, while this year we have already recorded a double-digit trade growth”.
Pashinyan added that it was necessary for the relation between Armenia and Russia to change with the times: “The world is changing rapidly, and our relations must meet the demands coming from those changes. We need to improve our economic relations so that they contribute to the development of competitive economies in our countries. In the context of what I said, we highlight the further rapprochement and mutual integration of our economies, which should be based on the free movement of goods, services, labour and capital”. He also emphasised that it was critical to start developing cooperation in non-traditional sectors, such as in high-technology and knowledge based economic sectors.
The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, also addressed the forum via a message on the Kremlin website, saying that “the relations of Russia and Armenia, which are based on centuries-old traditions of friendship and mutual respect, are of allied nature. A comprehensive political dialogue and a productive cooperation in different directions have been created between our countries. The interregional cooperation plays a key role in the development of the Russian-Armenian ties, which allows to implement the mutually beneficial programs in economic, social, infrastructure, humanitarian and many other areas.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the forum, the Deputy Economic Development Minister Dmitry Volvach announced today that Russia is planning to invest USD 1 billion in Armenia in the near future. According to Volvach, these investments contribute to facilitating exchange between the two nations, and strengthen economic, social and cultural relations.