Category: News

Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. Edvard Asryan has met with Lt. Gen. Krzysztof Król, assistant to the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces.

According to the Ministry of Defense readout, the sides discussed issues related to the ongoing reforms in the Armenian Armed Forces and the development and expansion of cooperation between the Armenian and Polish armed forces.

The sides agreed to develop experience-exchange programs in a number of areas of mutual interest.

Armenian embassies and consular offices around the world began publishing notices on Monday informing the public that passport issuance and replacement services will be temporarily halted starting October 5 due to the introduction of a new biometric system for identification documents in Armenia.

The diplomatic missions said that they will provide additional information on when the services will resume.

The notices state that on May 11, 2026, Armenia adopted the Law “On Identification Documents,” which provides for the introduction of a new biometric system for identification documents in the Republic of Armenia.

“Due to the introduction of the new system, in order to organize the transition process, starting October 5, 2026, the provision of passport issuance (replacement) services through Armenian embassies and consular offices, including via video link, will be temporarily suspended. Additional information on when the service will resume will be published on the official information platforms of the diplomatic service bodies,” the Armenian embassies said in their statements.

Authorities have explained that following the temporary suspension of passport issuance and replacement services through Armenian embassies and consular offices abroad starting October 5, consular services will be upgraded as efficiently and quickly as possible.

Once the upgrade is completed, consular services will accept not only passport applications, as has been the case until now, but also applications for identity cards, which are in high demand among the public.

Nelly Davtyan, Head of the Migration and Citizenship Service of Armenia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, told Armenpress that the changes are linked to the introduction of Armenia’s new biometric identification-document system.

“Since the new Law ‘On Identification Documents’ enters into force on November 1, which means that the production and issuance of new biometric identification documents to Armenian citizens will begin and documents of the old format should no longer be produced, we are temporarily forced to suspend the provision of services outside Armenia, while undertaking to upgrade consular services as efficiently and quickly as possible. The organization of the provision of services outside Armenia will be carried out in stages: the public-private partnership agreement provides that within three months after services begin in Armenia, consular services will also be upgraded. Once the upgrade is completed, consular services will accept not only passport applications, as has been the case until now, but also applications for identity cards, which are in high demand among the public,” Davtyan said.

Since passport issuance and replacement services through Armenian embassies and consular offices, including via video link, will not be available starting October 5, Davtyan urged citizens living abroad on a long-term basis to begin the process of obtaining a new identification document in the coming days and contact the nearest consulate so that the documents can be produced and delivered to citizens by November 1.

“All persons who see that their passport will expire in the coming months and who intend to travel are advised to replace their passport now so that they do not have to return to Armenia with a return certificate and apply for passport replacement here. However, if people do not have any planned border crossings in the coming months or their passport is still valid for more than four months, there is no need to replace it now. In that case, I would recommend that our compatriots wait and obtain the new biometric document at once,” Davtyan said.

Ahead of COP17 to be held in Yerevan in October, a National Dialogue on Gender Equality, Biodiversity and COP17 was held on September 29, focusing on advancing gender-responsive biodiversity management in Armenia.

The event was attended by senior representatives of Armenian government agencies, as well as representatives of women-led NGOs operating in communities, biodiversity-dependent communities, academic and research institutions, and international organizations.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Robert Abisoghomonyan said that Armenia’s approaches and priorities for COP17 have from the outset been anchored in the principles of genuine inclusiveness and transparency.

“Armenia is a country with rich and unique biodiversity resources. Our undisturbed connection with nature has been reflected for centuries in our culture, folk art, and the lives of many communities. Women play a crucial role in preserving it and passing traditional knowledge on to future generations. Rights-based approaches, equality between women and men, and the significant participation of women in all areas of public life are among our government’s key priorities. In this regard, Armenia has made significant progress in recent years. Our country is also taking active steps to address gender equality issues on multilateral international platforms,” Abisoghomonyan said.

COP17, he said, is also about the issues and achievements of people and communities. According to him, over the past year, Armenian civil society has had a number of new opportunities to further strengthen its ties with international networks.

“The issue of the rights of women and girls and gender equality will also occupy an important place during the COP17 conference to be held in Armenia. The Armenian chapter of the Women’s Caucus of the Convention on Biological Diversity, together with the Armenian COP presidency and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, will organize a women’s forum as part of the aforementioned conference. Today’s national dialogue will also provide an opportunity to identify, from different perspectives, a common vision aimed at the imperative of biodiversity conservation,” the Deputy FM said.

Deputy Minister of Environment Aram Meymaryan, in his remarks, placed particular importance on the role of women in environmental protection.

“At the same time, women and children are the most vulnerable groups, which are most affected by climate change and biodiversity loss. Given the specifics of our country, where seasonal labor migration plays a very large role in our activities, women bear a considerable burden. It is very important that women have a role in decision-making. By attaching importance to this circumstance, we can only have more resilient communities. Within the framework of COP17, it is very important for us that this fact be emphasized and make an important contribution to Armenia’s further development, and that women’s opportunities to make decisions in particular be expanded,” Meymaryan said.

He said it is no coincidence that women activists play the greatest role in protecting nature and developing biodiversity, because they are the first to bear responsibility for future generations.

Deputy Minister of Labor and Welfare Roza Babayan noted the importance of bringing biodiversity conservation, climate and environmental challenges, and gender issues onto one platform, which makes it possible to discuss important issues while also finding possible solutions.

“In the context of gender and environmental policy, our goal is not only to find the possible balance so that everyone can exercise their rights, but also to find possible ways to empower the economy through gender-sensitive policy. This approach is in line with the 2023-2030 Gender Action Plan of the Convention on Biological Diversity. It is also in line with the strategic document for the implementation of gender policy adopted in Armenia for 2025-2028, where one of the six areas is specifically the implementation of gender-sensitive policy as a result of climate change,” Babayan said.

According to her, the reforms being implemented in the labor sector outline balanced actions that will enable men and women to benefit equally from all opportunities.

Klas Waldenström, the Head of Development Cooperation and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Sweden in Armenia,  said that COP17 demonstrates how gender equality and human rights are being integrated into biodiversity management in Armenia.

“Gender and biodiversity are no longer only about women, but about rights, resources, and power. On behalf of the Government of Sweden, we hope that this dialogue will lead to the definition of practical priorities and the strengthening of partnerships, as well as help find ways for civil society and communities to continue contributing to biodiversity management after COP17 as well,” Waldenström said.

UN Women Country Representative in Georgia and Liaison Officer for the South Caucasus Kaori Ishikawa noted that the key question is how women can have an equal role in decision-making on the management of natural resources and biodiversity conservation.

“Armenia has already outlined its national biodiversity targets, focusing on the interconnected challenges related to gender equality and sustainable livelihoods. Ahead of COP17, we need to explore biodiversity issues and ways to make women’s leadership more accountable in this context. Armenia is preparing for COP17, so there is an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between development partners and the United Nations,” Ishikawa said.

Amelia Prado, Coordinator of the CBD Women’s Caucus, noted that, having been part of the process for many years, women have almost always worked from one COP to the next and made decisions, which is revolutionary progress for civil society and environmental NGOs.

“We have been working on joint programs for a decade already, so COP should be viewed as one stage of a roadmap. I want to assure you that our group is ready to establish partnerships, continuing the cooperation that has developed during the preparations for COP,” Amelia Prado said.

Armenia is the incoming president and host of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Israeli police announced the arrest of a man who allegedly pepper-sprayed a 9-year-old Armenian Christian boy in Jerusalem’s Mamilla area on Yom Kippur for riding a bike and wearing headphones on the holy day, The Times of Israel reported.

The suspect was identified as a 22-year-old from the Haredi-majority settlement of Ganei Modi’in, near Jerusalem.

Police say the suspect was arrested in northern Israel, where he has been for several days.

“Israel Police views with great gravity acts of violence and bullying against minors — especially those carried out with a nationalist or racist motive,” The Times of Israel quoted police as saying.

Channel 13 journalist Yossi Eli earlier said on his X account that the boy, identified as William, was riding a bicycle near Jerusalem’s Mamilla neighborhood, listening to music through headphones. According to the journalist, a group of young people approached the child, threatened him and demanded that he remove his headphones, after which they sprayed him with pepper spray.

The journalist also published footage showing the child receiving medical assistance in an ambulance. He identified the attackers as Jewish extremists.

According to the journalist, this was the second attack against the child. During the first incident, William was with his father, who protected him, while the child was alone this time.

Three people were killed when a construction crane was partially damaged and collapsed during construction work near 120 Tichina Street in Yerevan, the Rescue Service said, citing preliminary information.

Details were not immediately available.

Armenia’s Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan met with Gilles Bonnet, president of Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University in France.

Bonnet is in Yerevan to attend the graduation ceremony for students of the French University in Armenia’s “Missak Manouchian” cohort.

Deputy Minister Kristina Tataryan also attended the meeting.

“The establishment of a cohort named after Missak Manouchian at the French University in Armenia once again testifies to the historical and cultural ties between Armenia and France. This means that we are talking not only about acquiring a profession at the university, but also about shaping shared values,” Minister Andreasyan said, according to the ministry’s readout.

The minister highlighted the university’s important role in Armenia’s education system and emphasized that the government is making efforts to develop the higher education system.

During the meeting, it was noted that a government decision has allocated space for the French University in Armenia, which will contribute to the university’s infrastructure development as well as to deeper academic cooperation.

Minister Andreasyan also addressed the 2027 Francophonie Games (Jeux de la Francophonie), which will be held in Armenia, highlighting the university’s role in providing French-speaking volunteers and organizing French-language training for other volunteers.

Gilles Bonnet, president of Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, thanked the minister for the meeting, noting that the French University in Armenia’s new strategy is currently being developed and that the French side attaches importance to activities aligned with Armenia’s strategy for the development of the education system.

The sides also discussed the internationalization of the French University in Armenia, the university’s inclusion in the ranking system, the development of new higher-education programs, and ways to highlight its role within the framework of the “Academic City” strategic initiative.

Armenia Wine press release 

Armenia, one of the world’s ancient cradles of winemaking, has much to tell the world. Yet today, Armenia is to be discovered not only through its millennia-old history and winemaking heritage, but also as a modern, evolving and distinctive wine destination.

With this idea at its core, Armenia Wine brought together representatives of leading French media outlets and the wine industry this year, initiating a series of professional visits to Armenia. The objective was clear: to give them the opportunity to discover Armenian wine where it is born — in the vineyards and wineries, within Armenia’s unique terroir and in the everyday life of its people.

Over the past several months, Armenia welcomed journalists from La Revue du Vin de France, Terre de Vins, Les Echos, Paris Match, Le Figaro Vin, Le Monde and Vigneron, as well as Fabrice Sommier, President of the Union de la Sommellerie Française (UDSF), and other industry representatives.

During their visits, leading voices in the wine media explored the many layers and chronology of Armenian winemaking — from the Areni-1 cave and its millennia-old history to today’s vineyards, indigenous grape varieties, the distinctive characteristics of Armenian terroir and a new generation of winemakers.

At the heart of these journeys is the idea of building the reputation Armenian wine deserves through a dialogue between past and present. On one side stands a winemaking culture spanning millennia; on the other, new approaches, modern technologies and an ambition to establish a distinctive identity and place within the international wine world.

The initiative has already delivered important results. Stories dedicated to Armenia and Armenian winemaking have appeared in leading French publications, including La Revue du Vin de France, Les Echos and Le Figaro Vin, highlighting the revival of Armenian winemaking and the country’s return to the international wine scene. Further publications are expected in the coming months.

This Armenia Wine initiative is part of a long-term effort to strengthen the international recognition of Armenian wine.

Visits by international journalists create opportunities for the story of Armenian winemaking to travel far beyond Armenia’s borders — through the voices of those who shape the international media agenda and professional discourse around wine.

And while the story of Armenian wine began thousands of years ago, today a new chapter is being written.

Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Sweden to Armenia Eva Sundquist.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Khudatyan welcomed the Ambassador and highlighted the importance of maintaining the productive cooperation established with Sweden and ensuring the continuity of jointly implemented programmes.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the current agenda of bilateral cooperation.

The Minister highlighted the importance of continuing successful cooperation with SALAR International in the areas of fiscal decentralisation and local self-government, with the aim of improving the effectiveness of local governance.

The sides also addressed opportunities for developing interregional cooperation.

They also discussed the waste management programme, which aims to improve policy in the sector and introduce new models for waste sorting and effective management.

The sides also addressed opportunities to expand cooperation with Sweden in water resources management, the digitalisation of water infrastructure, efficient water use and irrigation system management, as well as the development of geological capacities.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a decision on September 29 dismissing Sargis Hayotsyan from the post of Chair of the Higher Education and Science Committee.

“Pursuant to Article 9, Part 7 of the Law on Public Service, Sargis Hayotsyan shall be dismissed from the post of Chair of the Higher Education and Science Committee,” the decision reads.