On September 3, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met with newly appointed French Prime Minister Michel Barnier at the Hôtel Matignon in Paris. The meeting focused heavily on strengthening economic ties between the two nations.
Prime Minister Barnier welcomed Pashinyan's visit and emphasized his commitment to fostering trade and economic cooperation between France and Armenia. Barnier, who fondly recalled attending the opening of the French Embassy in Armenia in 1995, expressed his special regard for Armenia and its people, pledging to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Pashinyan congratulated Barnier on his recent appointment and thanked him for his dedication to the friendship between the two nations. Both leaders praised the intensive dialogue between Armenia and France, highlighting the importance of developing cooperation across various sectors including economy, energy, digital technologies, urban development, agriculture, tourism, and healthcare.
The Armenian Prime Minister stressed that economic development and diversification are key priorities for his government. He emphasized the significance of French companies' presence in Armenia and expressed hope for increased participation of French businesses and investors in Armenian projects, particularly in infrastructure, nuclear and renewable energy, agriculture, and water management.
Both prime ministers underscored the importance of the upcoming second "Ambitions Arménie-France" conference, viewing it as a crucial tool for promoting multi-sectoral cooperation. They also discussed the need to develop decentralized cooperation to strengthen ties between regions of both countries.
The meeting touched upon recent developments in peace treaty discussions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as ongoing processes in the South Caucasus region.
