Dear forum participants and guests,

I warmly welcome you in the frame of the 7th Russian-Armenian Interregional Forum, referred to as “Russian-Armenian digital initiatives as part of EAEU digital agenda.”

Seven years ago, in 2011, Armenia and Russia initiated the present forum which, as a matter of fact, brings together representatives from Armenia’s provinces and the Russian regions, as well as societies and regional businesses.

We believe that as held on a regular basis, the prearranged round-table discussions of a wide range of topics are another evidence of the Armenian-Russian strategic partnership. Moreover, interregional cooperation has become an integral part of it.

Our countries basically face ambitious challenges: providing most comfortable conditions for our citizens’ daily life, business organization, release of new products, creating additional jobs not only in the capital cities, but also in the regions. This is what is targeted in relevant State-administered programs, and they are specifically motivated by concrete steps aimed at providing the regions with more favorable startup conditions in order to implement joint projects in trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. The rapidly evolving realities bring about new challenges, highlighting the need for innovative approaches, most of which have to do with the digital agenda.

We believe that the digital agenda of our countries as agreed within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union will allow us not only to reduce the administrative burden, update the cooperation schemes and make them more transparent, but also to significantly reduce the time of origin and its implementation, minimizing the costs arising from the geographical divide.

We expect that the forum, which is not limited to plenary sessions, but also covers a number of thematic round tables, will result in increased number of such initiatives. And we will support those aspirations at a State level, providing the necessary conditions for tapping the existing potential and increasing the effectiveness of inter-regional cooperation for the sake of regions’ sustainable development.

The younger generation should build on the Armenian-Russian cooperation and expand it with new initiatives. We welcome active dialogue, student exchanges among young people from our fraternal countries. The new government of Armenia, which is led by me, is determined to give fresh impetus to Armenian-Russian friendly relations, and especially to inter-regional cooperation as harmonious development is a top priority for us.

I hope that the proposals and recommendations voiced during the forum will find their practical application and will help us tackle the problems by implementing prospective business and investment programs in the best interest of our countries and peoples.

We wish all participants and guests fruitful debates, exciting contacts and all the best.