ADB Country Director: Armenia has the energy, resilience, and ambition to build a stronger economy

Marking her first 100 days as the Asian Development Bank’s Country Director for Armenia, Ms. Lyaziza Sabyrova reflects on her first impressions of the country, ADB’s long-standing partnership with Armenia, and the institution’s priorities for supporting sustainable, inclusive, and private sector-led growth in the years ahead.

Armenpress: Ms. Sabyrova, congratulations on your first 100 days as ADB Country Director for Armenia. Could you tell us a little about yourself and your first impressions of Armenia? 

Sabyrova: Thank you very much. It is a real honor for me to serve as ADB’s Country Director for Armenia. I have been with ADB since 2000 and, over the years, have worked across East Asia, Central Asia, and South Caucasus. Most recently, I served as Regional Head for Regional Cooperation and Integration in ADB’s Central and West Asia Department, where my work focused on economic cooperation, regional connectivity and integration, as well strategic work across the region.

Armenia is not entirely new to me. Earlier in my career, I had the privilege of working closely on ADB’s engagement with Armenia, including leading the preparation of ADB’s first Country Partnership Strategy for the country for 2014–2018. That experience gave me a strong appreciation of Armenia’s development ambitions and potential. It is therefore especially meaningful to return now in the new capacity and see how much progress the country has made.

During my first 100 days, I have had the opportunity to start reconnecting with Armenia —not only through meetings, but also by travelling across the country, visiting project sites, and speaking with people whose lives are directly touched by the development work. What struck me most was not only Armenia’s rich history and culture which are deeply inspiring, but also the country’s energy, resilience, and ambition to build a stronger, more competitive, and better-connected economy.

With my colleagues, I have visited ADB-supported schools that provide safer learning environments for children, travelled along transport corridors that are improving connectivity, and met families whose housing conditions are changing through reforms supported by ADB. I also met a local entrepreneur who started a business after the construction of the North–South Road Corridor and is now benefiting from the improved access and new economic opportunities it has created. I have also seen firsthand how ADB is working with local financial institutions to expand access to finance for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), helping businesses grow and create jobs. These moments stay with you. They remind us that development is not only about projects, roads, or financing—it is about people, their choices, and the opportunities they have to build a better future for themselves and their families.

I have also been fortunate to join a strong and dedicated ADB Armenia team that is deeply committed to supporting the country's development.

Armenpress: ADB has been a long-standing development partner of Armenia. How would you describe ADB's contribution to the country's development?

Sabyrova: ADB has been partnering with Armenia since 2005 and today is one of the country's largest multilateral development partners. As of the end of 2025, ADB’s cumulative commitments for sovereign and non-sovereign operations in Armenia reached about $2.5 billion. But beyond the numbers, what matters most is how this support is helping Armenia respond to real development needs.

Many people associate ADB with transport infrastructure, including the North–South Road Corridor and urban transport projects. These are indeed very important, because connectivity is essential for Armenia’s economic growth, regional integration, and access to markets. But ADB’s partnership with Armenia goes much further.

We are also supporting safer schools through the Seismic Safety Improvement Program, under which 31 schools have already been completed and 15 more are under construction, with further investments being prepared. In health, ADB is supporting modernization efforts that will help improve health service quality and finance the construction of 24 inclusive, climate- and gender-responsive health facilities across the country. Through the housing reforms program, we are supporting reforms aimed at improving access to affordable, resilient, and inclusive housing, while also strengthening housing finance systems.

Water security is another important area. Armenia, like many countries, is facing increasing pressure from climate change, and ADB is helping the Government identify long-term solutions, including preparatory work for possible reservoir investments and support for climate-smart agriculture. We are also working with Armenia on disaster risk management and climate resilience, helping the country move toward a more proactive and risk-informed approach to natural hazards. As Armenia prepares to host COP-17, we wish it every success in chairing this important global event, and we are pleased to support the Government's efforts in this, together with other development partners.

Another area which is central to our work is private sector development. We support businesses not only through financing, but also by helping improve the environment in which the private sector can grow. This includes support for reforms, technical assistance, stronger financial institutions, expanded access to finance for MSMEs, and promotion of green and inclusive investment. Operations with local banks are helping mobilize capital for businesses, support job creation, and encourage more sustainable economic growth.

Policy reforms are another important part of ADB’s partnership with Armenia. Through budget support loans, over the past decade, ADB has helped to strengthen the institutions, rules, and systems that underpin economic development. Building on this work, our team, in partnership with AFD, is currently preparing a new series of policy-based operations that will help ensure these reforms translate into tangible results through better public services and fiscal management, deeper financial markets, and a more supportive environment for businesses and investors.

One thing I have come to appreciate is how interconnected these development challenges are. Progress in one sector often depends on progress in another. Development does not happen in one sector alone. Roads help businesses grow. Safer schools protect children and communities. Better housing improves dignity and stability. Stronger health services improve quality of life. Access to finance helps entrepreneurs take risks and create jobs. Together, these investments help build a stronger foundation for Armenia’s future.

Armenpress: Looking ahead, what are your priorities for Armenia and where do you see the greatest opportunities for cooperation?

Sabyrova: Looking ahead, ADB's priority is to support Armenia in building a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable economy, in line with the Government's evolving development agenda and ADB's Country Partnership Strategy for 2026–2030.

We will continue working closely with the Government to support private sector-led growth, strengthen institutions and human capital, improve climate and disaster resilience, and expand connectivity. I also see strong opportunities in regional cooperation and integration, especially as Armenia continues to explore ways to strengthen its links with regional and global markets. Digitalization is another promising area, given Armenia’s strong talent base and growing innovation ecosystem, and ADB stands ready to support efforts to harness digital solutions for more inclusive and sustainable development.  I have also been impressed by the strong collaboration among development partners in Armenia. ADB will continue working closely with fellow partners to support the country's development priorities.

For me, the most important priority is to ensure that our partnership delivers practical results for people. ADB will continue to bring not only financing, but also knowledge, international experience, and policy support. We want to help Armenia turn its ambitions into concrete progress—through better and smarter infrastructure, more opportunities for businesses, stronger communities, and ultimately, improved quality of life for people across the country.