A meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and French President Emmanuel Macron took place at the Élysée Palace. A welcoming ceremony for the Armenian Prime Minister was held before the meeting.

Emmanuel Macron thanked the Prime Minister for accepting the invitation to participate in the first International Space Summit. The French President attached importance to the continuous development of bilateral relations in all directions, in line with the bilateral declaration on strategic cooperation.

Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed gratitude for the invitation and warm hospitality, emphasizing the deepening of cooperation with France in the space sector. The Prime Minister noted that Armenia is interested in more substantive partnership in this direction.

The interlocutors emphasized that economic cooperation is one of the priority areas of strategic partnership between the two countries. In this context, the parties emphasized the implementation of consistent steps by the Government of the Republic of Armenia towards diversification in the economic sector.

It was noted with satisfaction that the construction of the Bargushat tunnel has entered a substantive phase. In this regard, the importance of starting construction work as soon as possible was emphasized.

Regional processes were also touched upon. The importance of consistently implementing steps aimed at strengthening peace was emphasized.

Subsequently, an official dinner was given on behalf of French President Emmanuel Macron in honor of the heads of states and governments participating in the International Space Summit. 

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The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan participated in the International Space Summit in Paris.

After the welcoming ceremony for high-ranking guests, the opening ceremony of the summit took place, during which French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a welcoming speech.

The event was also attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, President of Finland Alexander Stubb, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and other high-ranking officials.

Next, Prime Minister Pashinyan participated in the panel discussion entitled "Visions for the Future of Space Infrastructures", during which he made a speech.

The Prime Minister, in particular, noted:

''Honorable President,
Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,

At the outset, I would like to extend my gratitude to the Government of France and President Macron personally for the warm welcome and for convening this remarkable International Space Summit.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Armenia has entered a new stage in the development of its national space capabilities.

In 2022, Armenia launched its first satellite, ARMASAT-1, developed with European technology and launched into orbit by SpaceX. Just one year later, we reached another milestone with HAYASAT-1 - the first Armenian satellite fully assembled and tested by Armenian specialists.

Тhe Government Programme of Armenia for 2026–2031 identifies the development of national space capabilities as a standalone strategic objective. Armenia intends to operationalize at least three satellites: two for Earth observation and one for telecommunications, while developing sovereign ground-based infrastructure and domestic capacities for satellite command, control, data reception, processing and analysis. We also plan to establish a distributed network of ground stations, which could serve not only Armenia’s national needs, but also support international space missions and the growing demand for satellite data and services.

Looking ahead, Armenia aims to participate more actively in international space programmes, enabling Armenian engineers and companies to contribute to the design, engineering and manufacturing of complex systems and equipment for space exploration.

At the same time, the Strategic Program for the Development of the Science Sector of the Republic of Armenia for 2026-2030, among others, identifies Space Technologies and Aerospace as a strategic priority. This includes Earth observation, satellite communications, space situational awareness, navigation technologies and other emerging areas.

Armenia also acknowledges the growing convergence between space and artificial intelligence. In this context, we are developing a broader national concept of a “Garden of AI Factories,” aimed at creating an ecosystem of advanced computing and artificial intelligence capabilities to support research, innovation, and technological development across sectors. In this regard, I am pleased to inform that the Firebird AI factory, developed in cooperation with NVIDIA, has recently been inaugurated in Armenia.

The Academic City, which Armenia is currently developing as a new academic and research ecosystem, will be another important component of this transformation. By bringing together universities, research institutions, students, researchers, international partners, and the private sector, we intend to create stronger links between education, science, and industry and provide an environment for advanced research and technological development.

Excellencies,
We believe that the expansion of the global space economy should be accompanied by broader access to its benefits. Countries with emerging space capabilities should have opportunities to participate not only as users of technologies and data, but increasingly as contributors to research, innovation and technological development.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate Armenia’s commitment to investing in science and human capital and strengthening international partnerships to ensure that space science, technologies and data contribute to sustainable development and a better future for humanity.

Thank you''.