On the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with President of Moldova Maia Sandu.

Prime Minister Pashinyan congratulated President Sandu on the victory in the recent parliamentary elections, wishing her new success in advancing Moldova’s democratic development agenda.

President Sandu, in turn, congratulated Prime Minister Pashinyan on the agreements reached in Washington on August 8 and Armenia’s consistent efforts to establish sustainable peace in the region.

The interlocutors discussed the prospects for the development of Armenia-Moldova bilateral relations, issues related to the promotion of democratic reforms and regional security. The parties reaffirmed the importance of mutual support on international platforms, as well as their willingness to expand cooperation.

Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Sandu emphasized the importance of continuous and constructive dialogue. 

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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the high-level international conference on Information Integrity and Independent Media within the framework of the 8th Paris Peace Forum. The event was also attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, President of Ghana John Mahama and others.

Prime Minister Pashinyan delivered a speech in which, in particular, he noted:

''Dear President Emanuel Macron,
Dear President John Dramani Mahama,
Dear President Maia Sandu,
Dear Prime Minister Edi Rama,
Madam Commissioner,
Dear friends,

Allow me first to express my sincere gratitude to the International Fund for Public Interest Media and the Forum on Information and Democracy for jointly organizing this important conference, and to France and other partners for their invaluable support.

It is an honor to address this conference at a time when the integrity of information space and the independence of the media are being tested as never before. These are not merely technical or sectoral challenges, these are foundational issues that strike at the very heart of democracy, peace and sustainable development. For me, as a former journalist this topic is of particular interest.

For Armenia, as for every democracy, the promotion of pluralistic, transparent and independent media is essential. The governments should create all necessary conditions to ensure the real independence of media. But in the evolving times, when we are living in, we need to ensure the independence of media not only from governments. With the growing tendencies of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference it is becoming a matter of national security to protect independence of media also from others. And this brings to the very roots of media and its nature. What is media about and what should be the cause of media? I do believe that the role of media is to serve the public cause in its different dimensions starting from keeping governments accountable to fight against corruption and push for reforms.

It is worth emphasizing that after the Velvet revolution of 2018, Armenia has demonstrated tangible progress across all reputable international indexes related to press freedom. According to the World Press Freedom Index, from 2019 to 2024 Armenia advanced from 80th to 34th place among 180 countries, in terms of media freedom.

We continue to strengthen our media environment and uphold journalistic integrity as an essential public good, recognizing that democracy is not a final destination, but a continuous struggle to protect and strengthen the principles upon which it stands.

At the same time, we must recognize the gravity of today's challenges: hybrid threats, exponential growth of artificial intelligence, the blurring of the boundaries between truth and falsehood, the weaponization of disinformation. These threats are not abstract, they are real, immediate and global. They challenge the foundations of democratic governance, public trust, polarize societies, and weaken democratic institutions from within.

The current information landscape, with its unprecedented speed and scale, requires a renewed commitment from all of us. Artificial intelligence evolves and the manipulation of content becomes more and more sophisticated, and our collective efforts must focus on defending the truth, protecting independent journalism, and building societies that are informed and not misled.
Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference is a growing security concern across the world. We believe that addressing these threats requires genuine cooperation among like-minded states that share core values of human rights, democracy and rule of law as well as mutual commitment to a rules-based international order.

In this context we believe that fostering resilience to information manipulation must begin with education, because today the development of technologies totally changed the concept of traditional media. Each of us having a smartphone in our hands has a chance to create media. And this comes to highlight the importance of media literacy of every individual. We need education that on the cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioral levels promotes such values as non-discrimination, respect for diversity and the rights of other people regardless of their ethnic or religious belonging. At the same time, it is education that, being a strong tool for bringing up the young generations, can be used for the wrong purposes.

We must also promote genuine dialogue - between nations, between communities, between generations. A dialogue that is inclusive, fact-based, and grounded in mutual respect. In a world where so many conversations risk becoming parallel monologues, we need a dialogue, for the improvement of which no limits can so far be seen. And here Armenia is ready and willing to contribute to this collective effort. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to defending free and independent media, to protecting the digital space, and, together with all our international partners, to promote a global information space rooted in truth, transparency and respect. Recognizing the importance of the healthy information ecosystems in every part of the world, Armenia plans also to join the International Fund for Public Interest Media as a Focus Region State Member.

Ladies and gentlemen;

I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to the organizers and participants of this important conference for their dedication to advancing the cause of truth, transparency, and freedom of expression. The discussions to be held here will undoubtedly contribute to our shared understanding and collective capacity to address the complex challenges facing the global information space. I am confident that through continued dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect, we can build resilient societies anchored in truth and democratic values. I wish the conference and all its participants productive deliberations and every success in the important work that lies ahead''.

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Within the framework of the Paris Peace Forum, the meeting of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan with the President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, Head of the “New Flemish Alliance” faction, Peter De Roover took place.

The interlocutors discussed the prospects for the development of Armenia-Belgium bilateral relations, emphasizing the importance of expanding political dialogue and inter-parliamentary cooperation.

Prime Minister Pashinyan presented the democratic reforms implemented by the Government of Armenia, as well as the efforts made to establish peace and stability in the region.

Peter De Roover noted that Belgium highly appreciates Armenia’s democratic path and supports its peace initiatives.

The parties touched upon issues related to economic cooperation between Armenia and Belgium, and the possibilities of deepening the EU-Armenia partnership.

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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the discussion entitled “At the Crossroads of Leadership” within the framework of the 8th Paris Peace Forum.

During the discussion held in a question-and-answer format, the Prime Minister touched upon the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the situation in the region, and the steps being taken to unblock communication routes.

The Prime Minister noted that peace has already been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is a reality. In this regard, Nikol Pashinyan highly appreciated the personal engagement and contribution of US President Donald Trump. “We have peace, and it is a reality. This is a historic change not only in our bilateral relations with Azerbaijan, but also for our region as a whole. Because I think this is the first time that we have a real opportunity to enter the stage of economic cooperation in the South Caucasus, and to have not only a peaceful, but also a prosperous region. In particular, taking into account the fact that in the declaration adopted in Washington, we agreed to open regional ties based on the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, jurisdiction and reciprocity of countries. There is also another principle - the inviolability of internationally recognized borders," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Next, the Prime Minister touched upon the TRIPP project and emphasized the importance of its implementation for both Armenia and Azerbaijan. “Regional connectivity means that we will have the opportunity, I mean both Armenia and Azerbaijan, to use each other’s territory for domestic, bilateral and international communication, and this means that a new route for international transit will open through our territory. Given that the world is currently experiencing a supply chain crisis, this can truly be a game-changer for international trade, but also for our region,” Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasized, adding that there will be open communication routes from the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman to the Black Sea, there will be a new connection between the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, new opportunities will be created for Armenia.

Speaking about the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan noted that it is a political event of great importance, which is important for the peace process, as well as for future prosperity and stability. "And I am confident that the people of the Republic of Armenia will support what we have achieved so far. I have no doubt that the citizens of Armenia will support the peace agenda and the peace process," the Prime Minister noted.

Then, the Prime Minister touched upon the process of normalizing relations with Turkey, expressing hope that positive developments will also take place in that direction in the near future. Nikol Pashinyan also spoke about the prospects for the development of Armenia-European Union cooperation.

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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in honor of the Heads of State participating in the 8th Paris Peace Forum in the evening of October 29.

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A meeting between Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of the France Emmanuel Macron took place at the Élysée Palace.

The interlocutors discussed a number of issues on the agenda of Armenia-France strategic relations. In particular, they touched upon topics related to cooperation in the economy, infrastructure and other areas. Nikol Pashinyan and Emmanuel Macron once again emphasized that bilateral cooperation is of strategic importance and expressed their willingness to continue consistent steps in that direction.

Next, issues of regional importance were discussed. The French President once again congratulated on the establishment of peace with Azerbaijan and emphasized France's unconditional support for Armenia's sovereignty and the strengthening of peace.

They exchanged views on the TRIPP project and the steps being taken to unblock communication routes in the region. In this context, the Prime Minister touched upon the course of the works.

Nikol Pashinyan and Emmanuel Macron also discussed issues related to the further development of Armenia-European Union cooperation. The parties emphasized the importance of consistently expanding relations with a new agenda for the Armenia-EU partnership.

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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with the EU Special Representative for Human Rights Kajsa Ollongrenin Paris.

During the meeting, issues related to the process of reforms initiated by the Government of Armenia to protect human rights, strengthen democratic institutions and ensure the rule of law, and the agenda of cooperation in this direction were discussed.

Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasized that the protection of human rights and the continuation of democratic reforms are among the priorities of the Government of Armenia. At the same time, the Prime Minister emphasized that democracy is not a choice for the Government of Armenia, but a strategy.

Kajsa Ollongren, in turn, highly appreciated the efforts of the Government of Armenia to accomplish democratic institutions and implement reforms aimed at protecting human rights, emphasizing the EU’s readiness to continue close cooperation.