Category: News

Green Rock press release

Media outlets from Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Georgia and the Gulf region have covered Tourism Regional Forum 2026, held in Dilijan, highlighting the city’s tourism potential and development prospects.

Tourism Regional Forum (TRF) 2026, held in Dilijan on October 9–11, attracted the attention of numerous international media outlets and industry platforms. Their coverage explored opportunities to develop Dilijan as an international, year-round tourism destination, as well as prospects for regional cooperation and the creation of long-term value.

Georgia’s Georgia Today covered TRF 2026, highlighting the links between tourism, regional cooperation and the long-term development of destinations. The publication also emphasised the importance of tourism ties between Armenia and Georgia, identifying them as an additional opportunity for regional cooperation and attracting visitors.

In the context of tourism connections between Armenia and Georgia, the outlet also highlighted Dilijan’s geographical location. Situated between Yerevan and Tbilisi, the city could become not only an important stop on tourist routes connecting the two capitals, but also a destination, helping encourage visitors to extend their stays in Armenia.

OC Media also explored Dilijan’s tourism development prospects, examining the city’s opportunities and the challenges involved in creating long-term value. In this context, the city’s natural environment and appeal are important, alongside infrastructure development, cultural offerings and access to services that meet the diverse needs of visitors.

Spanish platforms Hosteltur and 7 minutos also covered the forum. Their publications presented Dilijan’s development priorities in the context of investment, hospitality, culture and local community development. This coverage highlights an approach to tourism development that goes beyond increasing visitor numbers to focus on creating long-term economic value and benefits for local communities.

Italian publication L’Agenzia di Viaggi Magazine also covered TRF 2026. As a specialised tourism trade publication, it primarily serves tour operators, travel agencies and other tourism industry professionals. Coverage on this platform is significant for expanding Dilijan’s international visibility and introducing the city to Italy’s professional tourism community, helping position Dilijan as an international destination with appeal throughout the year.

The Gulf region is another important focus for expanding Dilijan’s international visibility. Coverage of TRF 2026 was distributed across more than 10 platforms within the Business News Media Group network, presenting Dilijan as an attractive tourism destination for travellers from the region. Travel & Markets also published an interview with Katerina Danekina, CEO of Green Rock Management Group, exploring a new phase in Dilijan’s tourism development.

International media attention plays an important role in raising awareness of Armenia’s tourism destinations. Coverage of Dilijan in international publications allows the city to present its tourism offering to wider audiences and highlight its potential as a destination combining nature, culture, hospitality and diverse experiences available throughout the year.

TRF 2026 was organised by Green Rock Management Group in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia. The forum brought together more than 250 participants from the tourism, hospitality, investment, finance, culture and urban development sectors. Under the theme “Destinations Built to Last,” discussions focused on how cities and tourism destinations can develop while preserving their identity and creating long-term value for visitors, businesses and local communities.

International coverage of TRF 2026 presents Dilijan’s development prospects within the broader context of Armenia’s tourism potential. Attention from international media can help raise awareness of the country’s tourism destinations, foster new partnerships and strengthen Armenia’s positioning as a country offering a diverse range of travel experiences.

Key components of Dilijan’s emerging tourism environment include projects within Green Rock’s multifunctional complex: the upcoming Hyatt Regency Dilijan hotel, Art Park, PPLS Rooms Co-living and Villa3 Community Hub, Cabinet Café & Restaurant. Apicius Armenia, an international hospitality school, also contributes to the development of tourism and hospitality. Together, these projects bring hospitality, culture, education and community life into a shared ecosystem, broadening Dilijan’s tourism offering.

Armenia cannot be expelled from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) against its will, even if the other member states want to do so, Civil Contract faction MP Hasmik Hakobyan has said.

Hakobyan told reporters she was not concerned by reports about the possible suspension of the EAEU Treaty’s application to Armenia.

“There is no such concern at the moment. The Republic of Armenia cannot be expelled from the EAEU, even if all the other countries want it,” Hakobyan said.

She emphasized that Armenia had not expressed a desire to leave the union.

“Armenia is not leaving the EAEU,” the MP stressed.

Addressing relations with partners and possible disagreements, Hakobyan emphasized the importance of resolving issues through discussions.

“Allow me not to make such categorical statements. Anything is possible, but just as we are committed to cooperation, we want to continue in that spirit and, where possible, discuss all issues and problems at the negotiating table. It is normal for there to be various issues with our partners, including within the EAEU. It is normal to address those issues at the negotiating table,” she said.

The prime ministers of Russia and three other Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states have not ruled out suspending Armenia’s membership in the bloc, citing Yerevan’s efforts to join the European Union. In a joint report on the “possible consequences” of suspending Armenia’s membership, released on October 20, they said the proposed suspension could remain in place until an Armenian referendum on EU membership. The report, posted on the Russian government’s website, says that Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan “have the right to consider” suspending the EAEU Treaty’s application to Armenia because of a 2025 Armenian law declaring the start of a process of accession to the EU.

Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan attended the official opening ceremony of the Future Forces Exhibition & Forum in Prague during his official visit to the Czech Republic.

Papikyan announced his participation in a post on his Facebook page.

Armenia’s Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Zhanna Andreasyan, attended the opening of the 83rd session of the Governing Board of the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.

According to a press release issued by the ministry, Andreasyan stressed the importance of holding the session in Armenia, noting that this was the third time the country had hosted a meeting of the center’s Governing Board.

“This meeting is an important opportunity to take stock of the results of our joint work and identify future cooperation priorities, taking into account advances in science and technology and emerging challenges in the field of security. The true value of scientific progress is measured not only by the creation of new knowledge, but also by how that knowledge serves human well-being, peace and security,” Andreasyan said, adding that this principle, which underpins Armenia’s science development strategy, is consistent with the activities of the International Science and Technology Center.

The minister noted that Armenia has been a member of the organization since 1994. Over the years, approximately 200 research projects have been funded in Armenia, with a total value of more than $50 million, while scientific organizations have received approximately 4,000 pieces of scientific equipment worth around $5 million.

Currently, approximately 12 projects in various scientific and technological fields are being implemented at Armenian universities and research organizations with the center’s support.

With the center’s support, approximately 400 Armenian scientists have participated in international scientific conferences, training programs and other scientific events. Around 100 conferences and seminars have been organized in Armenia, while the research conducted has served as the basis for approximately 250 scientific dissertations.

The minister also addressed the practical results of international partnerships, noting that Armenian scientists had implemented around two dozen joint projects with leading scientific centers abroad and international organizations, including research aimed at addressing the consequences of the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.

The minister emphasized the importance of the practical application of scientific results, noting that 10 commercialization projects had been implemented with the center’s support, resulting in the creation of approximately 60 new jobs.

“This once again demonstrates that scientific cooperation can contribute not only to the creation of knowledge, but also to economic development and the delivery of tangible results for society,” Andreasyan emphasized.

Speaking about the interconnection between science and security, Andreasyan noted that biological and nuclear security, climate change, resource management and the development of advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, require scientifically grounded solutions and close international cooperation.

“We believe that scientific progress must always be accompanied by responsibility, while the development of new technologies must have the clear objective of ensuring their peaceful and safe application,” the minister stressed.

Andreasyan also addressed the ongoing reforms in Armenia’s science sector, presenting the 2026–2030 Strategic Program for Science Development, approved by the Armenian government in January 2026.

Its key objectives include building an internationally competitive scientific system, modernizing research infrastructure, developing human capital and expanding the practical application of scientific results.

The 12 priority areas defined by the strategy include artificial intelligence, biotechnology, energy, space technologies and other leading scientific and technological fields.

The minister reported that state funding for science had increased approximately threefold over the past five years, while more than 20 billion drams had been allocated to modernize research infrastructure.

Under the programs, funding has been secured for more than 250 devices and pieces of equipment for 34 state universities and scientific organizations. The acquisition of 165 major pieces of scientific equipment has also been planned.

As a notable example, Andreasyan highlighted the supercomputing center established at Yerevan State University, equipped with 72 NVIDIA H100 graphics processing units.

Addressing human capital development in the science sector, the minister noted that programs to attract scientists from abroad had brought more than 40 scientists to Armenia, while approximately 60 others remotely lead research groups and units established within Armenian scientific organizations.

Andreasyan stressed that the aim of the ongoing reforms is to establish a modern scientific environment in Armenia, fostering the creation of new knowledge and the development of solutions with practical applications.

The minister emphasized that the reforms underway in Armenia’s scientific system and the International Science and Technology Center’s international expertise and extensive partnership network could complement one another, creating new opportunities for joint research and the development of scientific and technological initiatives.

The minister reaffirmed Armenia’s readiness to continue actively participating in the International Science and Technology Center’s programs by expanding joint research, the involvement of young scientists and international partnerships.

“I am confident that this session in Yerevan will open up new opportunities to strengthen our partnership, develop joint initiatives and make more effective use of scientific potential. Science can become a powerful instrument for peace, security and sustainable development when knowledge is combined with responsibility and international cooperation delivers practical results,” Andreasyan concluded, thanking the center’s leadership and partners for their longstanding and effective cooperation.

The event was also attended by International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) Executive Director Karina Anguelieva; the center’s Governing Board Chair, Dr. Ronald F. Lehman II; President of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia Ashot S. Saghyan; and Deputy Chair of the Higher Education and Science Committee Lilit Mkrtchyan.

The international partners thanked Armenia for hosting the 83rd session of the International Science and Technology Center’s Governing Board, for its effective and continued cooperation with the center, and for its efforts to implement joint initiatives.

Andreasyan, in turn, invited the international partners to participate in science-focused events scheduled within the framework of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), currently taking place in Armenia. She emphasized that these events offer an opportunity to expand scientific cooperation, exchange experience and establish new partnerships.

Andreasyan also met with ISTC Executive Director Karina Anguelieva. The parties discussed opportunities to develop the center’s activities, modernize its governance system and expand cooperation with Armenia.

Welcoming Anguelieva, Andreasyan highly praised the longstanding and effective partnership between Armenia and the International Science and Technology Center, emphasizing Armenia’s active involvement in the center’s activities.

The minister noted that the development of science and research is among the priorities of the Armenian government and that the reforms underway in the sector are aimed at developing Armenia’s scientific potential, expanding the country’s engagement in international research platforms and establishing new partnerships.

Anguelieva presented recent developments in the center’s activities and the work being carried out to modernize its governance system.

The parties reaffirmed their readiness to continue cooperation and develop joint research initiatives.

Armenian Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan has announced that exports of Armenian products to EU member states have increased by 51 per cent.

In a Facebook post, Papoyan presented export statistics for January–September this year, comparing them with the same period in 2025.

Exports to EU member states totalled US$475 million in January–September last year, rising to US$717 million in the same period this year.

Papoyan provided the following breakdown by country:

Bulgaria: up 4.9-fold;

Malta: up 4.8-fold;

Austria: up 3.1-fold;

Poland: up threefold;

Estonia: up 2.8-fold;

Slovenia: up 2.7-fold;

Finland: up 2.5-fold;

Lithuania: up 2.4-fold;

Cyprus: up 2.2-fold;

Spain: up 2.1-fold;

Sweden: doubled;

Czechia: up 80.4 per cent;

Croatia: up 71.3 per cent;

Belgium: up 40.6 per cent;

Ireland: up 34.6 per cent;

Italy: up 31.6 per cent;

Hungary: up 31 per cent;

Latvia: up 10.9 per cent;

Romania: up 3.6 per cent;

Denmark: up 1.4 per cent;

Slovakia: down 1.4 per cent;

France: down 1.6 per cent;

Germany: down 7.6 per cent;

Greece: down 10.6 per cent;

The Netherlands: down 13.7 per cent;

Luxembourg: down 32.3 per cent;

Portugal: down 32.8 per cent.

Armenian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ani Avetisyan delivered opening remarks at an event titled “Traditional Knowledge for Action: Contributions of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to the Implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” held under the auspices of Armenia’s COP17 Presidency as part of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17).

Organized in cooperation with the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), the event brought together representatives of the Convention’s Parties and a broad range of stakeholders to discuss the important contributions of the traditional knowledge, innovations, and practices of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.

According to a statement issued by Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Avetisyan emphasized the important contributions of the traditional knowledge, innovations, and practices of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, as recognized in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Referring to the Taking Action for Nature Yerevan Declaration adopted following the Leaders’ Summit, Deputy Minister Avetisyan noted that the declaration underscores the importance of the full and effective participation and contribution of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to achieving the Global Framework’s 2030 mission and targets.

International partners also participated in the event and delivered remarks, including Aluki Kotierk, a member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and Ramiro Batzin, Co-Chair of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity.

Armenia and Tajikistan are discussing opportunities to expand cooperation in environmental protection, digitalization, atmospheric emissions monitoring, and exchanging experience in subsoil management.

In an interview with Armenpress, Hovhannes Martirosyan, Head of the Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Body of the Republic of Armenia, said that issues related to deepening cooperation between the two countries’ environmental agencies were discussed during a meeting with Sheralizoda Bahodur Ahmadjon, Chairman of the Committee for Environmental Protection of Tajikistan.

“We discussed the environmental priorities of our two countries, the existing challenges, and the opportunities that could contribute to the development of cooperation. Since our agencies have quite similar functions, I believe that exchanging experience could be of practical significance,” Martirosyan said.

Martirosyan said that the meeting also addressed the mechanisms and tools used in digitalization, atmospheric emissions monitoring, and subsoil management.

“Both countries face common challenges in these areas, and it is important to understand what solutions are being applied in each country. Exchanging experience will allow us to study effective approaches and, where necessary, apply them in our work,” he said.

Asked whether cooperation would also be developed through practical projects and reciprocal visits, Martirosyan said the Armenian side had already received an invitation to visit Tajikistan to learn firsthand about its environmental management system and the mechanisms used in the sector.

“We consider it important for cooperation to be continuous and long-term. Our goal is not only to exchange experience but also to establish practical ties that could subsequently help improve the effectiveness of environmental management in both countries,” he said.

Addressing the development of environmental awareness, Martirosyan stressed that, alongside technical and management challenges, it was also important to raise public awareness of environmental issues.

He said that fostering a responsible public attitude toward environmental protection required long-term efforts and that exchanging experience between Armenia and Tajikistan could also be beneficial in this area.

Speaking about the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Martirosyan said it presented an important opportunity for Armenia to showcase its environmental priorities, technological advances, and work in the sector on the international stage.

Asked about the significance of hosting COP17 for Armenia and the opportunities it could create for the country, Hovhannes Martirosyan replied:

“The conference is an important opportunity to present Armenia on the international stage, establish new partnerships, and expand the country’s engagement in international environmental processes.”

We tend to think of nature as something development must protect. We must also recognize that human life and development itself depend on it.

Forests protect soil and water. Healthy landscapes sustain agriculture and livelihoods. Mountain ecosystems regulate water far downstream.

When these systems deteriorate, the consequences reach far beyond the environment. Economies come under pressure. Communities become more vulnerable. Human health and lives are put at risk and so is the future of our children.

Nature is the foundation of life, security and development.

That is why COP17, the 17th UN Biodiversity Conference of the Parties, matters. As countries gather in Yerevan, Armenia, in October 2026, they will review collective progress towards the 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework for the first time.

The challenge is clear. We have the commitments to protect nature. Now we must turn them into action and results.

Armenia’s COP17 Presidency is calling for stronger action for nature, with UNDP as one of the key partners in translating ambition into results – from protecting Lake Sevan’s unique ecosystem and addressing land degradation, to developing Armenia’s first Biodiversity Finance Plan, as part of a global UNDP effort in mobilizing finance for nature in 130 countries.

Importantly, biodiversity challenges transcend national borders. So must the efforts to protect it.

Rivers cross borders. Wildlife moves across different landscapes. Mountain ecosystems sustain communities far beyond the highlands.

In Central Asia, UNDP is working with countries and communities across the region to protect biodiversity, improve the management of natural resources, and strengthen livelihoods that depend on healthy ecosystems.

In the transboundary Ferghana Valley, spanning Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, UNDP has supported climate-resilient development, risk-informed policymaking and cooperation around shared environmental challenges. In Kyrgyzstan’s Western Tian Shan, UNDP has supported a landscape approach linking biodiversity conservation with sustainable management of land and forests, ecological connectivity and local livelihoods, including cooperation to protect snow leopard ecosystems.

The significance of biodiversity protection goes beyond conservation. Shared ecosystems create shared interests.

Managing them responsibly protects livelihoods, strengthens resilience and opens opportunities for cooperation. It helps countries address environmental and economic challenges that none can manage alone.

This is why biodiversity cannot remain a niche environmental concern. Governments invest in roads, energy systems and digital networks because they are essential to development.

Nature deserves the same strategic priority.

COP17 offers a unique opportunity to move nature to the center of economic and development decisions, underpinned by adequate financial resources. 

We see encouraging dynamics. Yerevan Biodiversity COP17 is already delivering promising results, with the launch of the New Species Recovery Alliance and its $500 million pledge, uniting the Bezos Earth Fund and eight partners to prevent extinctions and accelerate species recovery worldwide.

We, now need to build on the COP17 momentum, ensuring that commitments translate into lasting action for nature, sustainable development and a more peaceful, resilient future for all.

By Ivana Živković, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Europe and the CIS

Customs controls help prevent risks to biodiversity and ensure compliance with environmental requirements, an Armenian State Revenue Committee (SRC) official told Armenpress during COP17, as she presented the Committee’s initiatives and work in this area.

Nelly Kharatyan, Deputy Head of the SRC’s Specialized Center-Department for Classification and Customs Tariff Issues, sat down with Armenpress to discuss how customs controls help prevent violations and raise awareness among businesses and individuals.

“Customs control inherently includes a preventive component. This means that we try to raise awareness among businesses as much as possible so that they can, on their own initiative, avoid potential violations. The best platform for raising awareness at present is the ExIm information platform, launched at the initiative of the State Revenue Committee. It has been operating since April and provides information at any stage when a business or an individual intends to carry out imports, exports or transit. The platform is designed to present and explain complex legal language, which may sometimes be difficult to understand, in simpler and clearer terms. It is important to clearly understand and remember that all customs operations must be carried out in accordance with the provisions of legal acts,” Kharatyan said.

She stressed the importance of making requirements for the movement of wild plants, animals listed in the Red Book, and goods of environmental significance accessible to citizens and businesses in advance.

“Through awareness-raising, we warn against and prevent potential violations of the rules, because sometimes violations are not committed with malicious intent. The problem is simply that a business may be unaware of the regulations in force. This platform makes it possible to avoid that problem. People need to be aware of and informed about the applicable regulations in advance and do everything possible to act strictly within the framework of the regulations in force. For our part, we have tried to do everything possible to make this process easy, accessible and understandable for them,” Kharatyan concluded.

Aram Ghazaryan, Director of the Armenian Interior Ministry’s Rescue Service and Deputy Interior Minister, received a delegation led by Beijing Vice-Mayor Wen Xian at the newly opened administrative complex of the Sevan Water Rescue Unit. The delegation is visiting Armenia for the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17).

According to a statement from the Rescue Service, Ghazaryan accompanied the delegation as its members inspected the unit’s technical resources, including water rescue gear, specialised equipment and other technical assets. They were briefed on their operational purposes, capabilities and specific uses.

The delegation also toured the administrative complex, viewing the building’s facilities, infrastructure and equipment in service and work areas.

The tour was followed by a working meeting, during which the two sides discussed prospects for developing cooperation and exchanging professional experience in disaster risk management, firefighting and the organisation of rescue operations.

Ghazaryan stressed the importance of international cooperation in developing professional capabilities, introducing modern technologies and the latest equipment, and improving the effectiveness of efforts to ensure public safety.

Beijing Vice-Mayor Wen Xian praised the Sevan Water Rescue Unit’s technical equipment and the working conditions provided for its personnel. Wen also discussed Beijing’s experience in ensuring safety on bodies of water, outlining efforts to prevent drowning, raise public awareness and organise rescue services effectively in these areas.

Recognising the importance of the friendly relations established between Armenia and China, the two sides reaffirmed their readiness to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.