Armenia Expo-2026 international exhibition opens in Yerevan

The three-day Armenia Expo-2026 exhibition opened at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex on September 4 as part of the Armenia-Türkiye Business Forum taking place in Yerevan, bringing together 150 businesspeople and companies from nine countries in one venue.

Arsen Ghazaryan, President of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA), congratulated participants at the opening ceremony of the annual event.

“For 25 years, we have been bringing together representatives of various sectors of the Armenian and foreign economies annually to present our achievements and ambitious programmes, and to try to find new partners and new markets on this platform. Today, more than 150 businesspeople and companies from nine countries are participating in the exhibition. This shows that over the past 25 years the exhibition has become an anticipated event and a platform where businesspeople seek to establish their programmes and find partners. I wish all of us the implementation of concrete business projects and successful meetings,” he said.

Newly appointed Armenian Deputy Minister of Economy Tigran Gasparyan noted that this was the first official event he had attended since taking office.

“Today, in fact, we are also marking two important anniversaries: the 25th anniversary of the founding of Armenia Expo-2026 and the 30th anniversary of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia. This journey also shows how much effort has been made to achieve these results. In this regard, the state’s vision is very clear: we want to create an innovative, creative, efficient and export-oriented industry. I would also like to extend a special welcome to our international partners and international investors. I want to assure you that the Republic of Armenia is open and ready to provide support so that together we can build the future of Armenia’s economy,” he said.

Sarar Kamal Hawari, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, said:

“It is a great pleasure and honour to be here in Yerevan today to represent the Kurdistan Regional Government, our officials, our delegation and the large number of businesspeople from the Kurdistan Region. I would like to warmly congratulate the organisers and those present on the opening of this exhibition. Events like this create a valuable platform for businesses and new opportunities to build relations in the region. We firmly believe that closer cooperation can develop between our business communities.”

Sheikh Mustafa Abdullah, Chairman of the Kurdistan Region Board of the Iraqi Importers and Exporters Union, wished the exhibition success on behalf of the regional government he represented and wished all participants productive meetings.

Dr Hadi Moghaddamzadeh, Chairman and CEO of the Aras Free Trade-Industrial Zone, said that Armenia Expo would provide an opportunity to develop economic ties and establish new cooperation between Armenia and Iran.

“Iran is a country of opportunities. Those opportunities are not limited to Iran alone. Our friendly neighbouring countries can also benefit from them. What is needed is to establish economic cooperation based on the right framework and architecture. Located in north-eastern Iran and close to the Armenian border, and benefiting from favourable climatic and geopolitical conditions, the Aras Free Trade-Industrial Zone can serve as a highly suitable platform for developing economic ties between the two countries.

“With its fairly large and suitable territory, the Aras Free Trade-Industrial Zone provides a highly favourable platform for economic and investment activities. It is one of Iran’s largest industrial economic zones. In addition to industry, it is also suitable for activities in various other areas, including agriculture. It has one of the largest greenhouses in the region, creating numerous opportunities. The region also offers highly favourable conditions in the logistics sector, allowing such activities to be developed specifically in the Aras Free Trade-Industrial Zone. In terms of tourism, the Aras Free Trade-Industrial Zone is also considered one of the most important areas, as numerous historical and cultural monuments are located there,” he said.

Hadi Moghaddamzadeh stressed that their objective was not limited solely to establishing trade ties but was also aimed at building mutual relations with the peoples of countries friendly to Iran. It was noted that the doors of the Aras Free Trade-Industrial Zone are open to everyone. They are ready to welcome and cooperate with investors and businesspeople from the friendly neighbouring country in various sectors, including industry, agriculture, logistics and tourism.

“Borders are not meant to separate countries and peoples from one another, but rather to serve as bridges connecting the peoples of those countries,” he concluded.

Necdet Takva, President of the Van Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that an 80-member delegation from the organisation he represents had arrived in Yerevan at the invitation of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia.

“During this opening ceremony, I heard speeches in Kurdish and Persian, and now I am speaking Turkish. In other words, this can also be regarded as a fair of languages. Taking this opportunity, I would like to congratulate the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia on its 30th anniversary and Armenia Expo on its 25th anniversary,” he said.

Inessa Kutruk, Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Armenia, thanked the organisers for the invitation to attend the event and said it was a genuinely effective platform for establishing trade and economic relations between the business communities of Armenia and other countries. She expressed hope that the anniversary exhibition would provide additional impetus to the development and strengthening of those relations.

Kutruk said that the potential of several major Belarusian enterprises was being showcased at the country’s joint pavilion at Armenia Expo. These include products from the dairy and meat industries, electrical engineering products, lift equipment and other goods.

The speeches were followed by the official opening ceremony of Armenia Expo, during which the traditional ribbon was cut by Armenian Deputy Minister of Economy Tigran Gasparyan and UMBA President Arsen Ghazaryan.

The bilateral (B2B) meetings between Armenian and Turkish businesspeople, which had begun in the preceding days, then continued.

With funding from the European Union, the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia is holding a two-day forum for the Armenian and Turkish business communities as part of the “Support to the Normalisation of Armenia-Türkiye Relations: Strengthening Cross-Border Connections” programme. Its aim is to bring together representatives of the business communities and state institutions of the two countries on a single platform to discuss opportunities for economic cooperation, identify new areas and formats for interaction, and promote the establishment of new business contacts and partnerships.

The forum is attended by representatives of tourism, high technologies, transport communications, trade, healthcare and other sectors of the economy, as well as officials from Armenian and Turkish state institutions.

Discussions and meetings are planned during the event on the potential for bilateral economic cooperation, the development of business ties and opportunities for cross-border interaction.

Armenia Expo-2026 will conclude on September 6.