Meeting with Macron

On February 21, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan arrived in France on a two-day working visit with his wife, Anna Hakobyan.

Before their meeting at the Élysée Palace, French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made statements to the media.

President Macron began by expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Pashinyan for his presence on a significant day commemorating the sacrifice of Missak Manouchian and his comrades in the French resistance movement. He highlighted the upcoming enshrinement of Missak Manouchian and his wife Mélinée in the Pantheon, symbolizing France's recognition of their fight for freedom.

Macron emphasized France's steadfast support for Armenia's independence, territorial integrity, democratic process, and peaceful aspirations. He commended Prime Minister Pashinyan's courage and determination, citing Armenia's membership in the International Criminal Court as evidence of commitment to justice. Macron also addressed recent incidents in Syunik, stressing the need for a just and lasting peace based on international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

According to him, France has agreed to supply defensive armaments to Armenia. "France has consented to the supply of defensive military equipment, and France will continue with all responsibility, not wishing for any escalation," Macron noted.

He called for transparency from Azerbaijan regarding territorial integrity and the implementation of decisions by the International Court of Justice. Macron underscored France's support for peace, integration, and cooperation in the South Caucasus region, advocating for communication links that foster integration. Additionally, Macron highlighted France's commitment to infrastructure development, defense cooperation, and humanitarian aid in Armenia. He emphasized the strengthening of relations between the European Union and Armenia and called for a timetable for a new partnership.

In response, Prime Minister Pashinyan thanked President Macron for the invitation and underscored the historic and emotional significance of the event. 

Pashinyan noted the exceptional dynamism in Armenia-France relations, emphasizing Macron's role in deepening these ties. He reiterated Armenia's commitment to regional peace and stability, as the Prague meeting agreement outlined.

The Prime Minister thanked France for its support in defense, resilience, and democratic reforms in Armenia. He emphasized the importance of the European Union in supporting democratic reforms and institutional capacities in Armenia.

During their subsequent meeting, Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Macron discussed various topics, including the development and strengthening of multi-sectoral cooperation between Armenia and France, regional processes in the South Caucasus, and other mutual interests.

Visit to the "Elite Club of Political Dialogue"

On the morning of February 22, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the "Elite Club of Political Dialogue," where he engaged in discussions with the heads of several large French companies operating across various sectors.

During his address, Prime Minister Pashinyan highlighted Armenia's economic development rates, the outlook for economic activities, government programs aimed at bolstering the economy, initiatives to enhance the business environment, and opportunities for investment programs.

He noted a significant surge in state budget revenues in Armenia, nearly doubling compared to 2018, indicating substantial changes to reduce the shadow economy and enhance competitiveness. Armenia's economic growth in 2023 stood at 8.7 percent, following impressive figures of 12.6 percent in 2022 and 5.6 percent in 2021. Pashinyan also underlined the creation of 180,000 new jobs since 2018, marking a 30 percent increase in total employment.

Highlighting France's pivotal role in Armenia's economic landscape, Pashinyan mentioned the presence of companies like "Pernod Ricard" and "Veolia" in Armenia, emphasizing cooperation in various sectors, including banking, pension funds, and water management.

The Prime Minister expressed Armenia's goal of achieving an average annual economic growth of 7 percent, urging new French companies to invest in Armenia across diverse sectors. He mentioned key projects such as the construction of 300 schools and 500 kindergartens, the North-South project worth over 1 billion USD, and the "Academic City" project focused on higher education.

Pashinyan underscored Armenia's interest in significant investment projects in manufacturing, information technology, tourism, and winemaking. He highlighted progress in tourism inflow, surpassing 2019 levels, and the burgeoning winemaking industry. Additionally, Armenia is actively constructing reservoirs as part of its strategic development plan.

Subsequent discussions focused on cooperation and the potential implementation of projects in construction, infrastructure development, agriculture, tourism, high technologies, and industry. Prime Minister Pashinyan held separate meetings with heads of companies such as Thales, IDEMIA, "Pernod Ricard," and Societe des Troia-Valles, discussing collaboration opportunities and project feasibility in their respective fields.

Meeting with French Prime Minister

On the same day, Pashinyan met with French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal in Paris, where they discussed enhancing cooperation between Armenia and France across various sectors.

During the meeting, both leaders discussed bolstering trade and economic relations, fostering cooperation, and implementing joint projects in diverse areas such as construction, infrastructure development, energy, water management, and tourism.

Prime Minister Pashinyan particularly highlighted the French government's support for Armenia in market diversification and standard implementation initiatives. He extended an official invitation to Prime Minister Attal to visit Armenia, which was graciously accepted.