Meeting of the bilateral working group on Franco-Armenian economic cooperation (9 December 2021)

M. Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister Delegate for Tourism, French Nationals Abroad and Francophonie, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, attached to the Minister for the Economy, Finance and the Recovery, and Mr Ararat Mirzoyan, Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, are co-chairing in Paris today, 9 December, the first session of the bilateral working group on Franco-Armenian economic cooperation.

The working group – in which the Directorate General of the Treasury and the French Development Agency participate among others, in addition to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ services – was formed to intensify and diversify economic and commercial relations between France and Armenia, as called for by the French President.

During the working session, the two ministers will sign a road map on the main guidelines for bolstering our economic cooperation. It identifies the fields of activity and priority sectors which will be the special focus of our cooperation, particularly in the areas of infrastructure and connectivity, agriculture, agri-food, health, innovation and digital, energy and tourism.

French businesses, which are essential players in our economic relationship with Armenia, will be encouraged to help carry out structural, priority economic projects for Armenia, by mobilizing French public and European financing tools in particular.

The road map also encourages institutional exchanges and partnerships in order to strengthen the bilateral dialogue between public stakeholders involved in Franco-Armenian economic cooperation.

The holding of this bilateral economic working group session at ministerial level and the adoption of the road map signal a new stage in the strengthening of our cooperation with Armenia.