Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedow signed a series of cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding in various fields during talks in Tbilisi.

According to Sputnik Georgia, following the meeting, Kobakhidze said Central Asia is a region of strategic interest to Georgia and that Tbilisi is committed to strengthening relations with the countries of the region. He described Turkmenistan as a reliable partner and a friendly state for Georgia.

 “Central Asia is a region of particular interest to Georgia. In this context, we view Turkmenistan as a reliable partner and a friendly state. Relations between our countries are based on long-standing friendship and mutual respect, which provides a very solid foundation for further cooperation,” Kobakhidze said.

The Georgian prime minister said the two leaders discussed the main areas of Georgian-Turkmen cooperation, as well as current regional and international issues. For his part, Berdimuhamedow said Turkmenistan highly values Georgia’s constructive position at the international level and recognises the country’s important contribution to positive developments.

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers has appointed Yevhen Khmara as acting minister of defence and Andrii Sybiha as acting minister of foreign affairs.

According to Ukrainian media, citing Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi, the appointments were approved by the government.

Koretskyi said Khmara had been nominated for the post of defence minister by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Khmara has headed Ukraine’s Security and Defence Service since the beginning of this year.

“In agreement with the President, the government has appointed Yevhen Khmara as acting minister of defence and Andrii Sybiha as acting minister of foreign affairs. It is important to ensure continuity in defence and foreign policy,” the prime minister wrote.

Koretskyi also announced a reorganisation of the government’s ministerial structure in line with decisions adopted by the Verkhovna Rada. 

In particular, the government is restoring the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and establishing a separate Ministry for Communities, Territories and Internally Displaced Persons.

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of Mexico’s Chiapas state, according to the country’s National Seismological Service.

The agency said the quake occurred at 9:20 a.m. local time (1920 Yerevan time), 126 kilometres southwest of the city of Ciudad Hidalgo.

The earthquake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres, the agency said. Earlier, the National Seismological Service also reported a magnitude 6.8 earthquake off the coast of Guatemala.

There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Fifteen years after opening its first centre in Yerevan, the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies has grown into an international educational network, now operating in countries around the world and continuing to expand. With 25 centres across 15 countries, TUMO’s founders believe their greatest achievement is not the number of centres, programmes or students, but the learning environment that teaches young people to think independently, educate themselves and create.

In an interview with Armenpress, Marie Lou Papazian, Chief Executive Officer of TUMO, reflected on the organisation’s journey, discussed the new educational challenges posed by the age of artificial intelligence, TUMO’s upcoming initiatives and its vision for the next 15 years.

-TUMO marks its 15th anniversary this year. Looking back over these 15 years, which achievements stand out as the most important?

-Over the past 15 years, TUMO has achieved many measurable results: tens of thousands of students, centres in different countries, and graduates who now work for leading companies or launch their own projects. But if I had to single out one achievement, it would be the educational environment we succeeded in creating.

From the very beginning, our goal was never simply to teach technology or design. We wanted to build a system where young people would learn to work independently, take responsibility for their own learning, not be afraid to experiment, and discover the joy of learning and self-discovery. Today, when we meet our graduates, we see that these are precisely the skills that help them succeed at university, in the workplace and in their own initiatives.

Another important achievement is that TUMO expanded beyond Armenia and proved that this model can work in different countries and cultural environments. What began as a single centre in Yerevan has become an international educational network.

For me, however, the greatest achievement remains the people—the young people whose lives have been transformed by TUMO. Everything else is ultimately a consequence of that.

-When TUMO was founded in 2011, what goal did you set for yourselves, and how has that vision evolved over the years?

-When TUMO was founded in 2011, we were trying to answer a simple question: how do we prepare young people for a world that is changing so rapidly that education often struggles to keep pace?

Even then, it was clear that traditional education alone would not be enough. What was needed was an environment where teenagers could simultaneously develop technical, creative and self-directed learning skills. That idea became the foundation of TUMO.

Over the years, the scale and the tools have changed. What began as a single centre in Yerevan has grown into an international network that, by the end of this year, will comprise 25 centres across 15 countries. Alongside its creative technologies programmes, TUMO has introduced artificial intelligence education, adult learning initiatives, TUMO Labs and TUMO Studios.

Yet the core idea has remained the same: helping people become independent learners. Technologies change, professions evolve, but the ability to learn and develop independently remains one of the most important skills. That principle continues to define TUMO today.

-Today, tens of thousands of teenagers study at TUMO in Armenia and around the world. What do you consider to be TUMO’s greatest impact on their lives?

-I believe TUMO’s greatest impact is not that young people learn programming, animation or any other specific skill. It is that they learn how to learn independently and gain confidence in their own abilities.

The world is changing faster than ever before, and many of the professions young people are preparing for today may look completely different just a few years from now. In such an environment, the most valuable skill is the ability to learn quickly, adapt to change and think creatively.

We also see this reflected in the stories of our graduates. Many continue their studies at leading universities around the world, work in technology, creative industries and science, or launch their own ventures. But what is equally important to me is that they become more proactive, more self-confident and more engaged in their communities.

If I had to summarise it in one sentence, I would say that TUMO gives young people not only skills, but also the confidence that they can learn, create and succeed in any changing environment.

-TUMO now operates successfully both in some of the world’s leading educational and technology hubs and in developing countries. In your view, what makes the TUMO model so universal and adaptable across such different environments?

I think TUMO’s greatest strength is that we have created an educational model that can work equally effectively in very different environments—from small towns to some of the world’s largest capitals.

Educational programmes are usually difficult to scale without compromising quality. With TUMO, however, we have built a system that combines personalised learning and creative freedom while making the same educational experience accessible to thousands of young people.

I also believe that one reason countries are interested in TUMO is that it is more than an educational programme. It is also, in many ways, a community and development initiative. It helps young people acquire modern skills while strengthening local communities and creating new opportunities for regions.

It is probably this combination of quality, scalability, accessibility and real impact that makes TUMO relevant and attractive in countries around the world.

-Today TUMO operates in countries across the world, and its network continues to grow. Where do you see TUMO in the next 15 years?

-I believe the biggest question over the next 15 years will not be how many centres TUMO has, but what role education will play in a world where artificial intelligence is transforming almost every profession.

If the first 15 years were about proving that it is possible to create a new type of educational model, the next 15 years will be about continually rethinking that model. We will need to constantly reassess what young people learn, how they learn, and what skills they need.

I would like TUMO to be recognised not only as a successful educational network, but also as an institution that can respond to change in time and help education keep pace with technological progress. In that sense, our goal is not simply to open more centres. Our goal is to play a leading role in shaping the future of education.

-“The next 15 years” is this year’s anniversary theme. What does it represent for TUMO’s future?

-For us, “The next 15 years” is much more than an anniversary slogan. It is a question we ask ourselves every day: if technology, the labour market and even the ways people learn are changing so rapidly, what kind of education should we offer tomorrow’s young people?

Over the next 15 years, TUMO will place even greater emphasis on artificial intelligence, self-directed learning and lifelong education. At the same time, we will continue expanding our presence both in Armenia and internationally so that more young people can benefit from these opportunities.

-If you had to describe TUMO’s goal for the next 15 years in a single sentence, what would it be?

-To help as many people as possible become independent super-learners, creators and active agents of change, regardless of where they live.

-Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the world. How is TUMO preparing young people for this new reality?

-We recognised long ago that artificial intelligence is not simply another new technology, but a tool that will transform almost every profession. That is why our goal is not only to make AI a separate field of study, but to integrate it across different learning areas.

Today, TUMO students not only learn how AI systems work, but also use them in programming, design, animation, music and other projects. In addition, we have developed new AI learning programmes, for which we received the WISE Prize for Education last year.

For us, it is essential that young people not only know how to use AI tools, but also understand their capabilities and limitations, think critically and work creatively with them. These are among the skills that will be most in demand in the years ahead.

-How has TUMO’s educational content evolved over the past 15 years?

-If we look at TUMO’s core learning areas, they have not changed significantly. Programming, animation, game development, filmmaking, design and other creative and technology-related disciplines remain at the heart of TUMO’s educational model.

The biggest change in recent years has been the emergence of artificial intelligence. Whereas AI was once a separate and highly specialised topic, today it has become part of almost every field. That is why we have not only introduced new AI-focused learning programmes, but also started integrating AI tools and methods into different areas of study—from programming and game development to design and content creation.

In other words, it is not so much the disciplines that have changed, but the tools and technologies students use. TUMO’s approach has always been the same: to respond as quickly as possible to technological change and make it a natural part of education.

-TUMO now also offers educational programmes for adults. Why was it important to expand in that direction?

-Expanding into adult education was a natural step for us. Over the years, we realised that the same challenges we prepare teenagers for also apply to adults. Technology, professions and the labour market are evolving rapidly, and many people need new knowledge and skills at different stages of their careers.

That is why the TUMO ecosystem has expanded in recent years. Today we have TUMO Labs, where people work on real technology projects, 42 Yerevan, an innovative tuition-free programming school, and TUMO Studios, which create new opportunities for professional growth in the creative industries.

-The TUMO centres in Masis, Armavir and Vanadzor will soon join the Armenian network. What does nationwide accessibility mean to you?

-This has been one of our key goals from the very beginning. We never wanted TUMO to be accessible only to children living in Yerevan.

Every teenager in Armenia—whether they live in the capital, a border village or a small town—should have the same opportunity to learn, create and develop their potential.

The opening of the centres in Masis, Armavir and Vanadzor is another important step towards that goal. Every new centre is much more than a building or an educational programme. It creates new opportunities for the entire community and enables more young people to build their future in their own hometowns.

-When TUMO celebrates its 30th anniversary, what would you like people to say about it?

-I would like people to say that TUMO not only changed the way people think about education, but also helped millions of people discover their potential and confidently build their future. And that what began in Armenia continued to make a positive impact on communities around the world without ever losing its values or its mission.

-What message would you like to share with TUMO students, graduates and everyone who has been part of TUMO’s journey over the past 15 years?

-For us, TUMO’s 15th anniversary is not only an opportunity to reflect on the journey so far. It is also a chance to understand what can happen when thousands of people believe in an idea and work consistently to bring it to life over many years.

Over these 15 years, TUMO has become part of the stories of many people: students who discovered their interests and gained confidence in themselves; graduates who now work around the world or build their own projects; and partners, coaches, parents and supporters who helped turn this idea into reality.

The next 15 years will be even more ambitious. More countries, more opportunities and more people whose lives can be transformed through education.

And if there is one message I would like to leave everyone with, it is this: continue to be part of this story. Because TUMO’s greatest achievements have never been its buildings, programmes or numbers. They have always been its people.

Ultimately, TUMO’s future will be shaped not only by what TUMO itself does, but also by what the people who have been through it create, change and accomplish. And I am convinced that the most exciting achievements are still ahead.

Armenia recorded 1.042 million tourist visits in the first half of 2026, the highest figure ever registered in the country for the period, according to Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan. A new annual record is also expected by the end of the year.

In an interview with Armenpress, Sona Hovhannisyan, Head of the International Cooperation Department at the Tourism Committee of the Ministry of Economy, said the government is targeting 2.2 million tourist visits by the end of 2026. Preliminary data show that the number of foreign tourists visiting Armenia in January–June increased by 14.8% compared with the same period last year.

Domestic and inbound tourism: What’s the difference?

Hovhannisyan stressed that the published statistics cover only inbound tourism and do not include domestic travel by Armenian residents.

“Domestic and inbound tourism are different concepts, and the methodology used to collect data also differs,” she explained.

According to Armenia’s Law on Tourism, domestic tourists are Armenian residents travelling within the country. Data on domestic tourism are collected and published quarterly by the Statistical Committee.

Inbound tourists, meanwhile, are non-residents visiting Armenia for up to one year. To qualify as a tourist, a visitor must stay at least one night in the country and must not undertake paid employment. Information on inbound tourism is compiled exclusively from data provided by border checkpoints.

Russia, Georgia and Iran remain top source markets

Monthly data published by the Tourism Committee show that visitors from Russia, Georgia and Iran continue to account for the largest share of arrivals.

In June 2026, around 40% of visitors came from Russia, 15% from Georgia and 8% from Iran.

Hovhannisyan attributed the dominance of these markets to geographical proximity, historical ties with Russia, relatively short travel times and the presence of large Armenian diaspora communities.

At the same time, Armenia is seeing growing tourist flows from several other countries, particularly those with direct air links and simplified visa regimes.

“China is a clear example. The number of visitors has increased significantly following the launch of the Urumqi–Yerevan route and the introduction of visa-free travel,” she said.

She added that increased flight frequencies have boosted arrivals from Italy, while new direct services have also contributed to growth from Germany and Kazakhstan.

“Active air connectivity between countries is one of the key drivers of tourism development,” Hovhannisyan noted.

She also pointed to growing interest from Spain, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, although visitor numbers from those countries remain relatively modest. The recent launch of direct flights between London and Yerevan is expected to support further growth.

At the same time, Armenia has recorded a decline in arrivals from India, the Philippines and Egypt.

Tourism season becoming longer

According to Hovhannisyan, Armenia’s tourism season is gradually expanding beyond the traditional summer peak.

The highest number of visitors still arrives during the summer months and in September and October, while activity usually declines from late November onwards. However, winter tourism is also gaining momentum.

“It is encouraging to see growing activity during the winter months as well,” she said. “If the record figures registered this January become a lasting trend, we will be able to say that Armenia offers active tourism almost all year round.”

The Tourism Committee expects to maintain at least last year’s level of 2.2 million tourist visits in 2026, while aiming to set a new annual record.

Promoting Armenia abroad

To support this goal, the Tourism Committee continues to expand its international marketing efforts.

According to Dianna Karapetyan, Head of the Marketing and Promotion Department, Armenia has already participated under a unified national pavilion in major international tourism exhibitions held this year in Spain, Germany, Romania and Russia.

The committee also works with leading international media outlets, PR agencies, bloggers and influencers by organising familiarisation visits to Armenia and conducting promotional campaigns.

As a result, international media coverage highlighting Armenia’s tourism potential has become more frequent.

“Armenia has established itself in the global tourism market as a safe and secure destination,” Karapetyan said.

She added that several more international events are planned before the end of the year, where Armenian tourism companies will showcase the country’s culture, cuisine, attractions and tourism experiences through presentations, promotional videos, brochures and hospitality events.

Karapetyan also highlighted the importance of meetings between the Chair of the Tourism Committee and international counterparts, saying such contacts help strengthen cooperation and support the sector’s overall development.

She revealed that the committee is preparing another major initiative, although details have not yet been disclosed.

According to Karapetyan, the continued growth in Armenia’s international visibility and tourist arrivals is being driven by a combination of factors, including comprehensive promotional campaigns, broader international cooperation, expanded direct air connections, and the organisation of major cultural, sporting and other international events.

The European Union market is now open to Armenian fishery products, and all the necessary regulatory procedures have been completed. Companies wishing to export to the EU now need only apply to Armenia’s Food Safety Inspectorate to begin the process.

Tigran Petrosyan, head of the Food Safety Inspectorate, said the achievement was the result of years of coordinated work. He noted that both the government and the private sector have now reached the stage where exports of Armenian fishery products to the EU can begin in practice.

“One company has already officially applied to the Food Safety Inspectorate to export Armenian fishery products to the EU market. However, interest is much broader. I can say that 97% of Armenia’s fish product producers are ready to export their products to the European Union,” Petrosyan said.

Companies interested in exporting to the EU must be registered in the TRACES system, the European Union’s platform for the certification and traceability of animals, food and feed.

To obtain registration, businesses must submit an application to the Food Safety Inspectorate either electronically or in paper form. Petrosyan said detailed information on the required documents will be published on the inspectorate’s official website, Snund.am.

“There is no complicated procedure and no special documentation is required. These are documents that businesses already possess. Once an application is submitted, the inspectorate reviews the documents and then conducts an audit of the company. If all requirements are met, the company is registered in the TRACES system, which automatically generates a unique identification code. Once the company receives that code, it can export its products to any EU member state,” he said.

The TRACES registration code is issued without an expiration date. However, the inspectorate will conduct inspections of registered companies at least once a year.

On July 20, the Food Safety Inspectorate will host four experts from the European Union to discuss the practical arrangements for the first shipment of Armenian fishery products to the EU.

Talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov have begun in Moscow. At the start of the meeting, Lavrov said the situation in the South Caucasus would be among the topics discussed, Interfax reported.

“Today, we will discuss the current state and prospects of our cooperation. In the economic sphere, the 24th meeting of the intergovernmental commission was held quite recently, in April. There are also positive trends and prospects in the cultural and humanitarian sphere. And, of course, we will discuss the situation in the South Caucasus,” Lavrov said at the beginning of the meeting. 

Lavrov also noted growing interest in the 3+3 regional consultative platform. He added that, following agreements reached at the highest level and the work of the governments and foreign ministries, all issues related to the crash of an AZAL passenger aircraft had been settled.

Lavrov said he was also pleased to have the opportunity to continue dialogue at the level of foreign ministers. 

“This reinforces regular contacts between the presidents and governments of the two countries, as well as between ministries and agencies,” Lavrov said.

According to the Russian minister, “all this shows that, despite the difficulties that arise from time to time and are inevitable in life, we are moving towards the full implementation of the potential of the Moscow Declaration on Allied Interaction, signed on February 22, 2022.”

An Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), flying from Baku to Grozny, crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25, 2024.

According to the airline, there were 62 passengers and five crew members on board. Kazakhstan’s Emergency Situations Ministry said 29 people survived. 

On July 19, 2025, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Baku insisted that compensation be paid to the families of those killed and injured in the crash. He also said documents were being prepared to file a case against Russia in international courts.

RIA Novosti noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had said Russian missiles launched by air defence systems to intercept Ukrainian drones exploded several metres from the AZAL aircraft and that fragments struck the plane.

Russia remains ready to assist Armenia and Azerbaijan in restoring transport and economic links and addressing humanitarian issues, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.

According to TASS, Lavrov made the remarks during a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

“Russia consistently supports the efforts of Azerbaijan and Armenia aimed at achieving a full and comprehensive normalisation of relations, based on the trilateral high-level agreements reached in 2020 and 2022. As before, we stand ready to assist both Baku and Yerevan in unblocking transport and economic links and in resolving humanitarian issues,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov also spoke about the 3+3 regional consultative format, comprising Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Iran and Türkiye, saying it has considerable potential to promote regional cooperation. 

“We also discussed attempts by Western countries to use the South Caucasus as an arena for geopolitical confrontation. In this context, we see significant potential for regional cooperation within the framework of the 3+3 platform, which brings together the three South Caucasus countries — Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia — and their neighbours, Russia, Iran and Türkiye,” he said.

Lavrov added that the mechanism is designed to help the countries of the region and their neighbours address regional challenges without external destabilising interference. According to TASS, Lavrov and Bayramov also discussed trade, economic and sectoral cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan, as well as current regional and international issues.

The 3+3 format is a regional consultative platform established to promote security, the unblocking of transport and economic links, and broader regional cooperation in the South Caucasus.

The initiative was proposed by Türkiye and Azerbaijan following the 2020 44-day war over Nagorno-Karabakh and was supported by Russia and Iran. 

Although originally conceived as a 3+3 format, the mechanism has effectively operated as a 3+2 format, as Georgia has consistently declined to participate, citing Russia’s occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The other participants have maintained that the door remains open for Georgia to join. To date, several meetings have been held at the level of foreign ministers and deputy foreign ministers, including in Moscow in December 2021, Tehran in October 2023 and Istanbul in October 2024, where a joint declaration was adopted.

 Discussions are currently under way regarding the venue and sequence of the next ministerial meetings involving Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has said recent developments in the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation process have created a unique opportunity to establish lasting peace in the region.

According to the Azerbaijani APA news agency, Bayramov made the remarks during a joint press conference in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

He said recent developments in the normalisation process, including the initialling of the peace agreement, have created an opportunity to ensure lasting peace, security and prosperity in the region.

Bayramov also said he had briefed Lavrov on the current state of the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation process during their talks. 

“Today, it can be said with confidence that de facto peace exists between Baku and Yerevan,” the Azerbaijani foreign minister said.

The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 17 July, USD exchange rate up by 0.28 drams to 366.85 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.85 drams to 419.24 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.0006 drams to 4.6649 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 2.19 drams to 492.79 drams.

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

Gold price down by 773 drams to 47102 drams. Silver price down by 16.58 drams to 666.39 drams.