Pashinyan underscores Armenia’s digital agenda in video speech at EAEU summit

The EAEU Summit and the Eurasian Economic Forum kicked off in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, on June 26.  Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated remotely via video conference.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, opening the event, stated that despite the expectations of pessimists, the EAEU not only continues to function but also records successes in key indicators.

Welcoming the attendees, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted in his speech that the Republic of Armenia views digital development as one of the main directions for sustainable growth. “We are convinced that it is digitalization that opens up new opportunities for the economy, the public administration system, and the social sphere. An architecture for interdepartmental cooperation has already been implemented in Armenia, thanks to which state bodies no longer duplicate information but instead access original sources through secure communication channels.

This has made it possible to create integrated digital services that combine all stages of service provision into a single, transparent, and convenient process for users. Such an approach opens up new opportunities for creating a unified digital environment. Today, Armenia is a country that offers sophisticated and complex technological solutions and services.”

The Prime Minister noted that systematic work is being carried out in Armenia toward digitalization. According to Pashinyan, NVIDIA recently made a decision to establish a research center in Armenia, which proves that even small states with ambition and technological maturity can play a significant role in the global technological ecosystem.

“At the national level, Armenia is already investing in training specialists in machine learning, big data, and cognitive technologies, creating local pilot platforms for testing artificial intelligence-based solutions and forming a legal framework that takes into account data protection principles and mechanisms that ensure trust in data, simplify procedures, and improve the quality of services for citizens and businesses.

Both the existing and forthcoming technological platforms will serve as a foundation for innovation in high-tech industries,” Prime Minister Pashinyan noted.

Addressing the innovative solutions provided by artificial intelligence, Pashinyan emphasized that they not only allow for process automation but also radically change the philosophy of governance, thus transitioning from reactive to predictive analysis of social and economic policy.

According to Pashinyan, this opens up new opportunities for more accurate, personalized, and timely decision-making, especially in such vital areas as public administration, healthcare, education, and social protection.

“Armenia attaches great importance to participating in the digital agenda, considering digital transformation as a tool for eliminating barriers in mutual trade and increasing transparency. We particularly emphasize the digitalization of the customs sector as a basis for building trust. For Armenia, which does not have common borders with other EAEU countries, the modernization of customs, logistics, and border infrastructure is of particular importance.”

“Summing up, I would like to note that we are open to developing border platforms and experimental projects that will allow us not only to implement existing technologies but also to develop our own interesting and effective solutions,” the Prime Minister concluded.

It should be noted that during the summit, participants plan to set guidelines for further deepening integration and discuss current issues related to the EAEU’s activities, including the further liberalization of common markets for goods and services, product labeling, the expansion of Eurasian transport corridors, and the development of the union’s international relations.

As a result of the summit, ten documents are expected to be signed, including the main areas of cooperation in the field of sports, an economic partnership agreement with the United Arab Emirates, and an interim trade agreement with Mongolia.