Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the opening ceremony and panel discussion of the Third Eurasian Congress in Sochi. The Heads of Government of the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Cuba and Azerbaijan also took part in the event.

In his speech, Prime Minister Pashinyan said,

“Dear colleagues,
Dear participants of the Congress,

First of all, I want to thank our Russian colleagues and the Eurasian Development Bank for organizing and hosting this major event.

The high-level exchange of views on topical issues makes it possible not only to keep abreast and identify the challenges facing our region, but also to find effective solutions through joint efforts for the benefit of the sustainable development of our countries.

Returning directly to the topic of discussion, I note that the indicators of economic growth and activity in the Republic of Armenia create favorable ground for the formation of very optimistic expectations both for the current year and for the near future.

In 2022, the Armenian economy recorded unprecedented economic growth. GDP growth compared to 2021 amounted to 12.6 percent. This is the highest rate since 2008. Growth in industries, trade, including trade services, and construction contributed to this. Export growth over the past year amounted to 77.7 percent, with exports to the EAEU countries growing nearly 3 times. But I note that for us this is not the limit.

Sustainable development is possible only if there is a balance of three main components: economic growth, social responsibility and environmental balance.

Eurasia has a huge potential for economic growth, and we need to implement joint large-scale projects in the field of energy, digitalization, logistics, the climate agenda and other areas of mutual interest.

One of the most important factors in the development of the national economies of our countries is the provision of logistics security. Strengthening the potential of national economies is also conditioned by a competent approach to ensuring energy security. Based on the current geopolitical realities, a new approach to the energy agenda is needed.

Currently, Armenia is actively working on the gradual liberalization of the electricity market, which opens up new opportunities and creates favorable conditions for interstate electricity trade.

We are developing production capacities, carrying out large-scale reconstruction of substations and power lines, and building Armenia-Iran and Armenia-Georgia high-voltage lines, which contribute to the formation of the North-South Electricity Corridor and create new opportunities for increasing exports, imports, transit or seasonal power exchange. Thus, Armenia can become a kind of regional electricity hub.

It is also fundamentally important to continue working towards achieving carbon neutrality and moving forward with a green agenda. The green economy is an alternative to the dominant economic model, which causes scarcity of resources and poses threats to the environment.

No wonder that these issues are firmly included not only in the environmental, but also in the economic agenda.

Armenia's green energy policy is primarily aimed at decarbonizing and limiting greenhouse gas emissions, developing the use of renewable and alternative sources for energy production, stimulating the introduction of energy-efficient and resource-saving technologies, introducing innovative science-intensive technologies, as well as fulfilling the international obligations of countries on the global climate agenda.

In this context, I consider the development and maximum use of the potential of renewable energy to be an interesting topic for discussion. Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro power have enormous potential to drive economic growth and promote sustainable development in the region. By investing in renewable energy, one can contribute to the global efforts to combat climate change.

In addition to the development of renewable energy sources, it is also necessary to pay attention to nuclear energy, which is a clean, decarbonized energy. The development of nuclear energy is also important from the point of view of ensuring energy security and independence of the Union countries. To this end, we continue taking steps towards the prospective use of nuclear energy, extending the design life of the 2nd unit of the Armenian NPP and carrying out work on the construction of a new power unit.

Colleagues,

I would like to note that the core element of ensuring equal economic competition at the global level is the effective development of state of the art digital tools and technologies.

I specially want to dwell on the rapidly progressing field of artificial intelligence, which can change many areas of human life. Experts predict that in the future, AI algorithms will become more personalized, allowing experiences and services to be customized based on individual preferences, and AI will become more advanced and integrated into society.

Overall, the future of artificial intelligence is exciting, but it is important to consider the ethical implications and ensure that artificial intelligence is developed and used in a responsible and useful way.

At the same time, one should not forget that innovations are first of all people who create them, their creative energy and will, so the development of human potential is very important.

Dear participants of the Congress,

We can endlessly discuss the topic "Eurasia of the future", which is very interesting and multifaceted, but in general, the future of Eurasia will in all probability be determined by the combination of economic and technological trends, and our success will depend on our ability to make the right choice in these challenges and opportunities.

In conclusion, I will note that the understanding of mutual interests and willingness to compromise, focus on cooperation and dialogue are distinctive features of the Eurasian region, and may become the key to solving many issues in the future.

Thank you for attention”.