Armenian Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan attended a working session on biodiversity conservation and financing in Paris, held within the framework of the G7 Environment Ministers’ Meeting.

During the session, Minister Matevosyan addressed the current challenges in financing biodiversity conservation, emphasizing that both public and private financial resources remain insufficient and that existing financing systems lack coordination.

He highlighted the importance of integrating biodiversity financing across all areas of public policy and stressed the need for diverse financial instruments and innovative mechanisms. The minister also underscored the importance of establishing clear standards and rules to enable stronger private sector engagement.

Matevosyan further emphasized the need for a fair and inclusive approach, noting that financial flows should be accessible to local communities.

As Armenia prepares to host COP17, the minister reaffirmed readiness to support enhanced international cooperation and the development of effective biodiversity financing mechanisms. He noted that COP17 could serve as a platform not only for discussions but also for concrete action.

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an observation mission for the 7 June parliamentary elections in Armenia, following an invitation from the national authorities and based on the findings of a pre-election needs assessment mission.

The mission is led by Janez Lenarčič and consists of a core team of 13 experts based in Yerevan. Thirty long-term observers will be deployed throughout the country from 1 May, and ODIHR will also request 250 short-term observers, to arrive several days before election day, the OSCE/ODIHR said in a press release. 

The core team experts and long-term observers come from 28 different OSCE participating States.

“This observation mission will assess all stages of the electoral process against OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections,” said Lenarčič. “We will examine not only election day, but also the broader environment in which these elections are taking place.”

The mission will closely monitor all key aspects of the elections, such as the campaign, including on social networks, campaign finance, the work of the election administration at national, regional and local levels, the legal framework, institutional arrangements put in place by the authorities to detect disinformation, media coverage, and election dispute resolution. Observers will also assess the implementation of previous ODIHR election recommendations.

“Our observation will include meetings with a wide range of those involved in and affected by the electoral process, from representatives of the national authorities and political parties to civil society, the media and the international community, not only in the capital but throughout the entire country,” Lenarčič said. “This approach allows us to gain a comprehensive and balanced understanding of the electoral process across Armenia.”

For election day itself, delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament will join efforts with the ODIHR mission. An interim report will be published by ODIHR some two weeks prior to election day to update the public and the media on the observation mission’s activities. The day after the elections, the mission’s initial findings and conclusions will be presented at a joint press conference.

A final report, with a comprehensive assessment and containing recommendations to help improve the process for the future, will be published in the months following the elections. ODIHR has observed 12 elections in Armenia, most recently the 2021 early parliamentary elections.

The Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Armenia hosted a delegation from the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission on April 23.

CEC Chairman Vahagn Hovakimyan welcomed the guests and wished them fruitful cooperation, the commission said in a statement.

The head of the delegation, Janez Lenarčič, stated that the mission will observe all stages of the elections and will publish an interim report based on factual findings.

The OSCE/ODIHR will then issue two assessment reports: the first on the day after the elections and the second a few months later. The mission plans to deploy up to 250 short-term and 30 long-term observers across Armenia.

Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan met with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in Tbilisi on April 23 as part of his official visit to Armenia’s northern neighbor.

Papikyan said on social media that he conveyed the warm greetings of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Prime Minister Kobakhidze.

“I also presented the priorities and prospects of cooperation, highly appreciating the ongoing bilateral collaboration in the field of defense,” the Armenian Defense Minister said.

He added that they also touched upon issues related to regional security, emphasizing in this context that the establishment of lasting peace in the region would contribute to the development and prosperity of all countries in the region.

IDBank press release 

IDBank announces the launch of a strategic partnership with global technology leader Oracle.

This step marks a significant milestone in IDBank’s digital transformation strategy, aimed at shaping a new generation of banking services. The implementation of Oracle’s technologies will enable the Bank to significantly enhance data processing speed and accuracy, strengthen cybersecurity, and deliver more personalized, flexible, and modern services to its customers.

“We are building the bank of the future today. Our partnership with Oracle enables us to leverage global best practices and technologies, offering our customers more advanced and secure solutions,” said Mher Abrahamyan, Chairman of the Management Board of IDBank.

He also noted that cooperation with Oracle reflects the technological growth of Armenia’s financial system and its integration into global markets, strengthening the country’s position as an innovation hub in the region.

“We are pleased to support digital transformation in Armenia. Our collaboration with ID Group, and especially IDBank, represents the first partnership of this kind with a financial institution in the country and marks a breakthrough for collaboration in Armenia’s banking industry. We look forward to developing our partnership further. More broadly, Oracle stands ready to support the continued digital development of Armenia’s banking and financial sector through secure, scalable technologies that enable innovation and improve operational efficiency”, said Oracle’s representative.

IDBank continues to invest in innovation with the goal of transforming the banking experience and setting new standards in the industry.

THE BANK IS SUPERVISED BY CBA

On April 22, bilateral defense consultations between Armenia and Cyprus, as well as trilateral consultations between Armenia, Greece, and Cyprus, were held in Cyprus, the Armenian Defense Ministry said in a press release. 

The delegation from the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, headed by Levon Ayvazyan, Head of the Defense Policy and International Cooperation Department, participated.

During the consultations, the process of cooperation in both bilateral and trilateral formats, as well as future tasks, were discussed. Opinions were exchanged on regional and international security issues, reforms implemented in the defense sector, and other matters of mutual interest.

The parties lauded the development of cooperation in recent years.

As a result of the consultations, the heads of the departments responsible for international military cooperation from the three countries signed the annual programs for Armenia-Cyprus bilateral and Armenia-Greece-Cyprus trilateral cooperation in the defense sector.

The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 23 April, USD exchange rate down by 0.55 drams to 371.83 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 3.18 drams to 434.37 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.0106 drams to 4.9452 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.97 drams to 501.41 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 499 drams to 56690 drams.

Exports from Armenia recorded a significant increase in January–March 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said in a Facebook post.

According to the minister, exports to the European Union has increased by 90%, exports to the United States increased by 13%, and exports to China by 2.3 times.