Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko has arrived in North Korea on an official visit. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted an official welcome ceremony in Pyongyang on 25 March, the Belarusian BelTA state news agency reported.

After the ceremony, Lukashenko visited the Liberation Monument in Pyongyang together with Kim Jong Un.

According to BelTA, Lukashenko’s visit to North Korea is expected to “reinforce the legal framework of the relations and contribute to the invigoration of bilateral interaction.”

Aleksander Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un previously met in September 2025 in Beijing where they attended a parade among invited foreign leaders. At that time, Kim Jong Un invited the Belarusian president to visit his country at any convenient time.

Article by Kabar News Agency 

Kyrgyzstan is preparing to host the sixth World Nomad Games from August 31 to September 6, with the opening ceremony scheduled in Bishkek and competitions set to continue in the Issyk-Kul region.

More than 90 countries are expected to participate, while the program will include 43 sports along with cultural events, exhibitions and international forums. Organizers say accreditation of participants will begin in May, with preparations entering the final stage.

Launched in 2014 on the basis of the Bishkek Declaration, the World Nomad Games have grown into a global platform promoting traditional sports, cultural heritage and intercultural dialogue. The first three editions were held in Kyrgyzstan, while Turkiye hosted the Games in 2022 and Kazakhstan in 2024, reflecting the project’s expanding international reach.

The event is recognized as a tool for strengthening cultural ties and tourism, bringing together athletes, artists and researchers from around the world.

The world is preparing to witness the sixth edition of the Games. The host country, Kyrgyzstan, is actively preparing for this large-scale event, and the participating countries are also thoroughly preparing for their performances.

The World Nomad Games is an international event that unites the national games and cultures of nomadic peoples at the global level. Its uniqueness lies in the revival of forgotten traditions and the ability to unite countries around a common goal. This event aims to preserve the heritage of nomadic civilization and promote it worldwide. In particular, it provides a unique opportunity to see the entire nomadic world in one place.

Furthermore, the Games serve an important mission to strengthen interstate ties and develop global tourism.

The World Nomad Games have received the following high praise and status:

– Recognized by the UN as an effective tool for intercultural dialogue;

– Supported by international sports federations and cultural institutions;

– Included in the global sustainable development agenda;

– Inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Games’ core content includes equestrian races, traditional wrestling, and intellectual and folk games. In addition, the event includes international scientific conferences and symposia, large-scale cultural programs, exhibitions of crafts and national cuisine, and art and fashion shows.

In 2012, following a summit of the heads of Turkic-speaking states involving Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkiye, the Bishkek Declaration was signed. This document laid the foundation for the World Nomad Games, initiated by Kyrgyzstan.

Based on this initiative, the first World Nomad Games were held from September 9 to 14, 2014, in Kyrgyzstan. 583 athletes from 19 countries competed in 14 sports.

The first three editions of the Games were held in Kyrgyzstan.

Following the first World Nomad Games in 2014, the second (2016) and third (2018) Games were also held in Kyrgyzstan.

In particular, from September 3 to 8, 2016, the city of Cholpon-Ata hosted the 2nd World Nomad Games, which attracted 1,200 athletes and coaches competing in 23 sports. This time, the number of participating countries reached 62, tripling the number of participating countries at the first Games. Of these, 17 presented their unique cultural programs. Furthermore, the range of sports disciplines expanded, and the number of media representatives covering the event exceeded 650.

The program included national games reflecting the daily life, martial arts, hunting traditions, and intellectual culture of nomadic peoples, such as: jerit (spear throwing on horseback), tayaq tartysh (stick tug-of-war), goresh (traditional wrestling of the Turkic peoples), gulesh (Turkish oil wrestling), aba kureshu (horseback wrestling), archery (on foot, on horseback, and long-range), burkut saluu (golden eagle hunting), dalba oynotuu (the art of controlling a falcon using a lure on a cord), taigan zharish (dog racing of the Taigan breed), and mangala (a board game of logic).

Furthermore, these Games strengthened the foundation of the project’s scale and laid the groundwork for its development as a global international platform.

The III World Nomad Games were held from September 2 to 8, 2018, in Cholpon-Ata. This time, the number of participating countries reached 80, and approximately two thousand athletes competed in 37 sports.

The program also included such sports as arm wrestling, mongol bokh (Mongolian wrestling), vari, pahlavani (Iranian wrestling), three types of traditional archery, sambo, ssireum (South Korean wrestling), and sumo.

In the lead-up to the Games, an international Altaic conference entitled “Folk Games, Rituals, and Traditions” was held, bringing together scholars from more than 45 countries. These Games played a decisive role, leading to the decision to further host the event in other countries. Thus, Turkey was confirmed as the next host country.

Hosting the World Nomad Games in other countries

Thus, the mission to host the World Nomad Games was handed over to Turkiye. The Games were held from September 29 to October 2, 2022, in the cities of Iznik and Bursa, bringing together representatives from 102 countries. 3,000 people competed in 40 sports, and approximately 150,000 spectators witnessed this massive event.

The Games were originally planned for 2020, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event was postponed to 2022. The baton for hosting the next Games was passed to Kazakhstan.

The 5th World Nomad Games were held from September 8 to 13, 2024, in Astana, Kazakhstan. 2,800 athletes from 89 countries competed in 21 sports. A unique feature of these Games was the inclusion of women’s categories in the competition program, at the initiative of the participants.

The “Nomad Universe” ethno-village hosted over 100 cultural programs, as well as an international conference on “Nomads: History, Knowledge, and Lessons.”

Preparations for the 6th World Nomad Games

The 6th World Nomad Games will be held this year from August 31 to September 6. The opening ceremony will take place in Bishkek at the Bishkek Arena stadium, currently under construction and designed to accommodate 51,000 spectators, after which the events will continue in the Issyk-Kul region.

According to Nursultan Adenov, Head of the International Secretariat of the World Nomad Games, invitations to participate in the Games have been sent to 100 countries. To date, participation confirmations have been received from approximately 50 countries. Overall, representatives from more than 90 countries are expected to attend. 400 representatives of foreign media are also expected to arrive.

It’s worth noting that this year’s Games will feature 43 sports. The program already includes the Kazakh national game “kokpar” and the Yakut national wrestling “khapsagay.” Agreements with other federations are expected to be signed.

The host country for the 7th World Nomad Games will be announced in the next 1-2 months. To date, bids have been received from 3-4 countries to host the next event.

The World Nomad Games are not a bygone era, but living history that continues today. This is an event worth seeing at least once in a lifetime.

Member of Parliament Vladimir Vardanyan was confirmed by parliament as a Constitutional Court Justice in a closed vote following a confirmation hearing.

Only 67 of the 107 MPs took part in the vote, with all voting in favor of Vardanyan’s candidacy. He is expected to resign from parliament and take the oath of office as a Justice of the Constitutional Court on March 26.

Vardanyan had been serving as an MP since 2019 and chaired the parliamentary Committee on State-Legal Affairs.

He had been affiliated with the ruling Civil Contract party for years but resigned after President Vahagn Khachaturyan nominated him for the Constitutional Court, to become nonpartisan, a requirement for serving in the independent judicial body.

During the confirmation hearing on Tuesday, amid opposition concerns about ties to the ruling party, Vardanyan vowed to remain impartial and uphold the constitution if elected. He reminded lawmakers of the oath of office for an MP:

“I have been in the Parliament for seven years, and each of us is under an oath, which contains a clear requirement—to uphold the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. From the moment of taking the oath, you assume responsibilities, and regardless of your political orientation or personal preferences, you are obliged to act in accordance with your oath,” Vardanyan said.

Vardanyan is expected to replace Hrayr Tovmasyan, whose mandate at the high court was terminated after a court found him guilty of exceeding his authority while serving as justice minister more than a decade ago.

The “Armenia in UNESCO” event was held at the headquarters of Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Relations, the Santos Palace, where Armenia’s cultural heritage registered with UNESCO was showcased.

Armenian Ambassador to Uruguay Mariam Gevorgyan, Acting Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs at Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Relations Soledad Martínez, and Acting Director of the UNESCO Regional Office Alcira Sandoval delivered remarks, the Armenian embassy reported. 

The showcased Armenian heritage included the Armenian duduk, performed by renowned Argentine-Armenian duduk player Gagik Gasparyan, along with the Armenian Kochari dance, performed by members of the senior generation of the “Gayane” dance ensemble of Uruguay.

A photography exhibition was held in the Pedro Figari Hall of the Santos Palace and will be open to the public until March 27.

The event was attended by the Secretary General of the Latin American Integration Association, Sergio Abreu, senior officials from Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Relations, a number of foreign ambassadors, political and public figures, as well as representatives of the Armenian community.

The event was organized at the initiative of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Uruguay, in cooperation with Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Relations and the UNESCO Regional Office.

Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan attended an event hosted by Prime Insurance Brokers to mark its accreditation by Lloyd’s. 

“Prime Insurance Brokers” has become the first company in Armenia to receive brokerage accreditation from Lloyd’s, the world’s leading insurance and reinsurance marketplace.

This significant achievement reflects the company’s high professional standards, reliability, and compliance with international benchmarks, the President’s Office said in a statement, adding that Khachaturyan welcomed the Armenian company’s notable accomplishment and wished it continued success and further achievements.

President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan held a meeting with Greek Ambassador Christos Sofianopoulos on the occasion of Greek Independence Day, the President’s Office reported.

“Welcoming the ambassador, the President congratulated the leadership and the friendly people of Greece on the occasion of their national holiday, emphasizing that relations between the two countries hold a special place in Armenia’s foreign policy agenda,” the President’s Office said in a readout.

The President noted that “the ties between the two peoples have a centuries-old history and are based on mutual trust, goodwill, and a readiness to support one another in difficult times.”

Ambassador Sofianopoulos expressed gratitude for the reception, noting that “relations with Armenia are not only a historical legacy for Greece but also an important direction of modern cooperation.”

He stressed that in recent years bilateral ties have become noticeably more active, encompassing new areas and creating new opportunities for cooperation.

During the meeting, the sides thoroughly discussed prospects for the development of bilateral cooperation, highlighting a number of priority areas. In particular, they addressed issues related to deepening political dialogue, expanding economic ties, promoting investment projects, and intensifying cultural and educational exchanges. The importance of expanding cooperation in high technologies and defense was also emphasized, taking into account the existing potential and mutual interest.

The sides particularly underlined that cooperation between the two countries is developing in a stable and consistent manner, regardless of external circumstances. It was emphasized that this progress is based not only on state-level interaction but also on the strong friendship between the peoples and the alignment of mutual interests, which serve as an additional impetus for implementing new initiatives.

The conversation also touched upon regional developments. The sides discussed existing challenges and exchanged views on possible ways to effectively address them, highlighting the importance of cooperative approaches.

It was noted that, in this context, efforts aimed at establishing peace, ensuring long-term stability, and developing democratic institutions are of particular importance, as they can contribute to creating a predictable and secure environment in the region.

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory letter to Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the occasion of Greek Independence Day.

“I warmly congratulate and extend my sincere best wishes to you on the occasion of the national holiday, Independence Day, of the Hellenic Republic,” Pashinyan said in the letter published by his office.

“Armenia highly appreciates the friendly relations with Greece, which are based on mutual trust, common values, and strong civilizational ties between the peoples. I note with satisfaction that recently Armenia-Greece cooperation has been developing more actively and steadily. Constructive and trustful dialogue, high-level mutual visits, and regular contacts have given new impetus to our relations, expanding the agenda of cooperation in the political, economic, defense, scientific, educational, and cultural spheres. I am confident that through consistent joint work we will continue to deepen our partnership both in bilateral and multilateral formats, as well as within the framework of the Armenia-European Union partnership, for the benefit of our countries’ prosperity and the strengthening of regional peace and stability. I look forward to having the honor of hosting you in Yerevan within the framework of the European Political Community Summit. Your visit to Yerevan is also a good opportunity to announce the elevation of cooperation between our two states to a new, strategic level. I wish you every success, and peace, prosperity and sustainable progress to the friendly people of Greece,” he added. 

Under the Karabakh movement, Armenia was placed on the sacrifice altar of foreign geopolitical interests, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said during the Parliament–Government Q&A session.

The Prime Minister noted that the current government has come to understand that, under the Karabakh movement, Armenia had been placed on the sacrifice altar of foreign geopolitical interests. He referred to a campaign badge featuring a map of Armenia.

“I am glad that we have gone through that path and have the strength to admit that, under the Karabakh movement, we placed our country on the sacrifice altar of foreign geopolitical interests. We understood this too late. There are political forces that have not understood this and will not understand,” Pashinyan said.

Showing the badge, the Prime Minister added: “This represents what the people of Armenia created to protect their security, prosperity, freedom, and rights. It is the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Armenia.”

He stressed that by directly or indirectly denying the internationally recognized territory of Armenia, “we were effectively saying that the Republic of Armenia does not have an internationally recognized territory. We said it indirectly. As a result, within this logic, we continuously sacrificed more and more of our sovereignty and independence as a state.”

“From that moment on, by returning to the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Armenia, we have been becoming a more sovereign, more independent, more secure, and more authoritative state in the international arena,” the Prime Minister said.

Showing the map, he emphasized that it is a symbol of Armenia’s sovereignty, independence, and statehood.

In the upcoming parliamentary elections, the people of Armenia must decide whether the Karabakh movement will continue.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said during the Parliament–Government question-and-answer session, in response to concerns that some circles perceive his statement as a threat that war will begin if the “Civil Contract” party does not win the elections.

The Prime Minister recalled that in 2020, serious accusations were made against him for not warning the public about the dangers and he has drawn conclusions from that accusation.

“In this election, the people must answer the following question: will the Karabakh movement continue or not?

Today, “Civil Contract” is the only political force that, as the parliamentary majority, has decided not to continue the Karabakh movement. All other forces say they will continue it. The people should decide. If they decide that the Karabakh movement continues, it means war, because the Karabakh movement is war.

If it is decided that there is peace, then we will not continue the Karabakh movement. It is a very simple choice,” Pashinyan said, emphasizing the importance of speaking clearly with citizens.

Referring to the Declaration of Independence, the Prime Minister said that it is not a declaration of independence, but rather a declaration of conflict and dependence.

“We all originate from the Karabakh movement as people engaged in politics. But if we do not confront this and do not change, then our historical destiny will not change either,” he noted.

In Armenia, in the first two months of 2026, the economic activity index was 7.4% higher compared to the same period of the previous year, the Statistical Committee reported.

In February, it exceeded January’s level by 4.5% and February 2025’s level by 7.2%.

During the reporting period, the highest growth was recorded in the construction sector, at 20.5%. The volume of construction is estimated at AMD 53.9537 billion. In February, month-on-month growth was 40.7%, and compared to February of the previous year, it was 21.8%. Construction work amounting to AMD 31.6917 billion was carried out in February.

The volume of industrial production in January–February exceeded the same months of the previous year by 17.2%, amounting to AMD 491.4794 billion. In February, growth compared to January was 12.2%, and compared to February of the previous year, 23.8%. Industrial products worth AMD 261.9388 billion were produced in the last month of winter.

Trade turnover in January–February exceeded the same months of the previous year by 3.3%, reaching AMD 892.2471 billion. In February, growth compared to January was 14.4%, and compared to February of the previous year, 5.6%. Trade worth AMD 477.5026 billion was carried out in February.

The volume of services (excluding trade) in January–February exceeded the first two months of the previous year by 7.2%, amounting to AMD 630.3105 billion. In February, it decreased by 1.7% compared to January, but exceeded February 2025’s level by 7%. The volume of services in February is estimated at AMD 312.319 billion.

The consumer price index in January–February was 4.1% higher than in the same months of the previous year. In February, it rose by 0.5% compared to January, and by 4.3% compared to February of the previous year.

The industrial product price index in January–February was 9% higher than in the same months of the previous year. In February, it increased by 1.4% compared to January, and by 9.5% compared to February 2025.

1,823.9 million kWh of electricity was produced in January–February this year, exceeding the same period of the previous year by 7.1%. In February, production decreased by 24.4% compared to January, and by 4.7% compared to February of the previous year. Electricity production in February amounted to 785.4 million kWh.

This indicator does not include electricity produced by autonomous producers for crossflows.

No data was provided for the gross agricultural output and the average monthly nominal salary during the reporting period.