Economic component of Armenia’s foreign policy focus of OSCE-supported parliamentary hearings

Parliamentary hearings on the economic component of Armenia’s foreign policy were held on 9 December 2016 in Yerevan with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

Some 200 high-level officials, parliamentarians, representatives from state institutions, international organizations and diplomatic missions, business community and diaspora discussed Armenia’s economic and foreign policy directives and strategies as well as challenges in current economic integration and developments.

The aim of the event was to discuss Armenia’s trade and economic relations with the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the country’s partnership with the European Union.

Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan welcomed the initiative and said that it is important for Armenia to attract foreign investors and to find new foreign markets given the country’s potential. “Armenia is becoming an attractive partner for the EU countries and the EEU and Iran, offering a bridge in the region. The Armenian diplomacy is facing the task of overcoming the challenges and promoting economic ties, especially under conditions of Armenia's isolation.”

Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador Argo Avakov said: “The OSCE has prioritized economic connectivity. The Office in Yerevan will further support initiatives to promote the country's sustainable economic development, improve competitive business and investment climate, as well as facilitate Armenia’s model role in comprehensive integration processes.”

The perspectives for the Armenian Diaspora and the role of the Diplomatic Corps in the sphere of foreign economic relations were also touched upon.

Andrei Muntean, the Head of Economic Governance Unit at the OSCE reported on the best practices of economic diplomacy and mechanisms to promote national interests via balanced and multifaceted strategies and underlined the role of the OSCE as a platform for co-operation bridging 57 member-states from Vancouver to Vladivostok.

The parliamentary hearings were organized upon the initiative of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of Armenia’s National Assembly with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.