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Economy of Armenia | Imports | Imports
In 2017 Armenia imported $3.96B, making it the 133rd largest importer in the world. During the last five years the imports of Armenia have decreased at an annualized rate of -1.2%, from $3.82B in 2012 to $3.96B in 2017. The most recent imports are led by Petroleum Gas which represent 8.21% of the total imports of Armenia, followed by Refined Petroleum, which account for 5.46%. Armenia's main imports are oil, natural gas, cereals, rubber manufactures, cork and wood, and electrical machinery. Armenia's main imports partners are Russia, China, Ukraine, Iran, Germany, Italy, Turkey, France and Japan.
The European Union (28.7% of total exports), Russia (26.9%), Switzerland (14.1%), and Iraq (14.1%) are Armenia's largest export partners (6.3 percent ). The Russian Federation is the most important import partner (26.2%), followed by the EU (22.6%), China (13.8%), and Iran (13.8%). (5.6 percent ). After the 2008 Russian-Georgian conflict, which briefly halted the nation's hydrocarbon supply and exposed the country's energy vulnerabilities, the country has been looking for other energy sources. Tensions with its neighbors, notably Azerbaijan and Turkey, continue to exist, affecting commerce. Armenia's ties to Russia, as well as its membership in the Eurasian Economic Union, constrain the country's potential to integrate further with the EU.
Imports in 2017 amounted to $4.183 billion, up 27.8% from 2016.
In 2018 the country's structural trade imbalance was predicted to be 15.7 percent of GDP (World Bank). According to World Trade Organization data, Armenia exported commodities worth US$2.4 billion in 2018, up 7% from the previous year, and imported goods worth US$4.9 billion, up 18%. In terms of services, the country exported US$2 billion in 2018 and imported US$2.1 billion.
The global economic crisis has had less impact on imports because the sector is more diversified than exports. In the first nine months of 2010, imports grew about 19 percent, just about equal to the decline of the same sector in 2009. |
Economy of Armenia | Deficit | Deficit
According to the National Statistical Service foreign trade deficit amounted to US$1.94 billion in 2017.
The current account deficit represented 2.4 percent of GDP in 2017 and increased up to 8.1 percent of GDP during the first three quarters of 2018. This was a result of about 8 percent increase in goods export and 21 percent increase on goods import in nominal terms year on year in 2018.
Armenia's foreign trade turnover increased by 11.6 percent in January–May 2021, compared to an 11.2 percent decline a year earlier, owing to a reversal of the y-o-y dynamics of exports and imports from 8.1 to 12.8 percent decline to 20.8-6.7 percent growth, according to preliminary data from the RA Statistical Committee. As a consequence, Armenia's foreign trade turnover reached 1.5 trillion drams ($2.9 billion), with exports totaling 567.4 billion drams ($1.1 billion) and imports being 931.8 billion drams ($1.8 billion), resulting in a 364.4 billion drams ($695 million) international trade deficit. Foreign trade turnover climbed by 3.9 percent in May 2021,resulting to a 7.9% increase in exports and a minimal 1.5 percent increase in imports. As a consequence, Armenia's international trade deficit in May 2021 was 83.4 billion drams ($160 million), decreasing 7.4% from the same month in 2020. (by 21.1 percent ). Foreign trade turnover increased by 13% year over year in May 2020, due to a 30.7 percent increase in exports and a moderate 4.3 percent increase in imports.
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Economy of Armenia | Partners | Partners |
Economy of Armenia | European Union | European Union
In 2022 Armenia's bilateral trade with the EU topped $2.3 billion, making the EU one of Armenia's biggest and most important economic partners.
EU-Armenia trade increased by 15% in 2018 reaching a total value of €1.1 billion.
In 2017 EU countries accounted for 24.3 percent of Armenia's foreign trade. Whereby exports to EU countries grew by 32,2% to $633 million.
In 2010 EU countries accounted for 32.1 percent of Armenia's foreign trade. Germany is Armenia's largest trading partner among EU member states, accounting for 7.2 percent of trade; this is due largely to mining exports. Armenian exports to EU countries have skyrocketed by 65.9 percent, making up more than half of all 2010 January to September exports. Imports from EU countries increased by 17.1 percent, constituting 22.5 percent of all imports.
During January–February 2007, Armenia's trade with the European Union totaled $200 million."Armenia Keeps Up Robust Growth" , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), March 30, 2007. During the first 11 months of 2006, the European Union remained Armenia's largest trading partner, accounting for 34.4 percent of its $2.85 billion commercial exchange during the 11-month period."Armenia Posts Record-High Trade Deficit" , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), January 8, 2007. |
Economy of Armenia | Russia and former Soviet republics | Russia and former Soviet republics
On 14 October 2024, Armenia notified its ratification of the Commonwealth of Independent States Agreement on Free Trade in Services, Establishment, Operations and Investment, which entered into force on 13 November 2024 for Armenia.https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/print/documentCard?ids=6738
In the first quarter of 2019, share of Russia in foreign trade turnover fell to 11% from 29% from the previous year.
In 2017, CIS countries accounted for 30 percent of Armenia's foreign trade. Exports to CIS countries rose by 40,3% to $579,5 million.
Bilateral trade with Russia stood at more than $700 million for the first nine months of 2010 – on track to rebound to $1 billion mark first reached in 2008 prior to the global economic crisis.
During January–February 2007, Armenia's trade with Russia and other former Soviet republics was $205.6 million (double the amount from the same period the previous year), making them the country's number one trading partner. During the first 11 months of 2006, the volume of Armenia's trade with Russia was $376.8 million or 13.2 percent of the total commercial exchange. |
Economy of Armenia | China | China
In 2017 trade with China grew by 33.3 percent.
As of early 2011 trade with China is dominated by imports of Chinese goods and accounts for about 10 percent of Armenia's foreign trade.Chinese FM Visits Armenia, Urges Closer Ties , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), February 17, 2011. The volume of Chinese-Armenian trade soared by 55 percent to $390 million in January–November 2010. Armenian exports to China, though still modest in absolute terms, nearly doubled in that period. |
Economy of Armenia | Iran | Iran
Armenia's trade with Iran grew significantly from 2015 and 2020. Because Armenia's land borders to the east and west have been closed by the governments of Turkey and Azerbaijan, domestic firms have looked to Iran as a key economic partner. In 2020, trade between the countries exceeded $300 million. The number of Iranian tourists has risen in recent years, with an estimated 80,000 Iranian tourists in 2010. In January 2021, Iran's finance minister Farhad Dejpasand said that trade between the two countries could reach $1 billion annually as Iran looks to become a regional economic force. |
Economy of Armenia | United States | United States
From January to September 2010, bilateral trade with the United States was about $150 million, on track for about a 30 percent increase over 2009. An increase in Armenia's exports to the US in 2009 and 2010 has been due to shipments of aluminum foil.
During the first 11 months of 2006 US–Armenian trade totaled $152.6 million. |
Economy of Armenia | Georgia | Georgia
The volume of Georgian–Armenian trade remains modest in both relative and absolute terms. According to official Armenian statistics it rose by 11 percent to $91.6 million in January–November 2010. The figure was equivalent to just over 2 percent of Armenia's overall foreign trade.Armenia, Georgia Agree On Joint Border Control , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), February 16, 2011. |
Economy of Armenia | Turkey | Turkey
In 2019 the volume of bilateral trade with Turkey was about $255 million, with trade taking place across Georgian territory. This figure is not expected to increase significantly so long as the land border between the Armenia and Turkey remains closed. |
Economy of Armenia | Foreign direct investments | Foreign direct investments
Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Armenia decreased by US$2.7 million in December 2020, compared to a reduction of US$10.3 million the previous quarter.
Armenia foreign direct investment: USD mn Net Flows data is available from March 1993 through December 2020, and is updated quarterly.
The statistics ranged from a high of US$425.9 million in December 2008 to a low of –67.6 USD mn in December 2014.
Armenia's current account surplus is US$51.7 million in December 2020, according to the most recent statistics.
-In June 2021, Armenian Direct Investment Abroad increased by 12.8 million dollars.
-In June 2021, it boosted its Foreign Portfolio Investment by $14.6 million.
-In December 2020 the country's nominal GDP was reported to be 3.8 billion dollars. |
Economy of Armenia | Yearly FDI figures | Yearly FDI figures
Despite robust economic growth foreign direct investment (FDI) in Armenia remain low as of 2018.
in January–September 2019 the net flow of direct foreign investment in the real sector of the Armenian economy stood at about $267 million.
+FDI inward flows as percentage of gross fixed capital formationYearArmeniaGeorgiaSouth-East Europe and the CISWorld2005–2007 p.a. average20.0%201617.6%35.9%15.8%10.2%201711.4%42.3%9.6%7.5%20189.5%25.3%6.4%6.0%
Jersey was the main source of FDI in 2017. Moreover, combined net FDI from all other sources was negative, indicating capital outflow. The tax haven Jersey is home to an Anglo-American company, Lydian International, which is currently building a controversial massive gold mine in the southeastern Vayots Dzor Province. Lydian has pledged to invest a total of $370 million in the Amulsar gold mine.
Country
(with FDI net flow
exceeding 1 billion AMD)Net flow of FDIin 2017,
in billion AMDNet flow of FDI
in 9 months of 2018,
in billion AMDJersey10820.6Germany1414.3Netherlands30.4Argentina31.72UK21.31Hungary20Ireland0.60.6Cyprus −11.76France −6 −2Lebanon −73.4Russia −1211.7Luxembourg −22 −1Italy −0.68 −0.5USA0.51.78
Negative values indicate investments of Armenian corporations to foreign country exceeding investments from that country in Armenia. |
Economy of Armenia | Stock FDI | Stock FDI
FDI stock to GDP ratio grew continuously during 2014–2016 and reached 44.1% in 2016, surpassing average figures for Commonwealth of Independent States countries, transition economies and the world.
+Stock inward FDIYearMillion dollarsShare of GDP20154 33820164 63543.9%20174 75241.2%20185 51144.4%
By the end of 2017 stock net FDI (for the period 1988–2017) reached 1824 billion AMD, while gross flow of FDI for the same period reached 3869 billion AMD.
Countries
with largest positionsStock net FDI by end of 2017,
in billion AMDRussia773Jersey159Argentina112France83Lebanon77Cyprus77USA73Germany73UK53Netherlands50U.A.E.29Luxembourg24Italy14Switzerland10
As of February 2019, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has invested about 380 million euros in the various projects implemented in Armenia. |
Economy of Armenia | FDI in founding capital of financial institutions | FDI in founding capital of financial institutions
During the sector consolidation process in 2014–2017 the share of foreign capital in the authorized capital of the Armenian commercial banks decreased from 74,6% to 61,8%.
Net FDI in founding capital of financial institutions accumulated by end of September 2017 is presented in pie chart below. |
Economy of Armenia | Foreign aid | Foreign aid |
Economy of Armenia | United States | United States
The Armenian government receives foreign aid from the government of the United States through the United States Agency for International Development and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
On March 27, 2006, the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a five-year, $235.65 million compact with the Government of Armenia. The single stated goal of the "Armenian Compact" is "the reduction of rural poverty through a sustainable increase in the economic performance of the agricultural sector." The compact includes a $67 million to rehabilitate up to 943 kilometers of rural roads, more than a third of Armenia's proposed "Lifeline road network". The Compact also includes a $146 million project to increase the productivity of approximately 250,000 farm households through improved water supply, higher yields, higher-value crops, and a more competitive agricultural sector."Armenia and Millennium Challenge Corporation: Building a Dynamic Partnership for Poverty Reduction through Economic Growth" , Millennium Challenge Corporation, March 27, 2006.
In 2010 the volume of US assistance to Armenia remained near 2009 levels; however, longer-term decline continued. The original Millennium Challenge Account commitment for $235 million had been reduced to about $175 million due to Armenia's poor governance record. Thus, the MCC would not complete road construction. Instead, the irrigated agriculture project was headed for completion with apparently no prospects for extension beyond 2011.
On May 8, 2019, conditioned with the political events in Armenia since April 2018, United States Agency for International Development signed an extension of US–Armenia bilateral agreement in the area of governance and public administration, which would add additional US$8.5 million to the agreement. By signing another document on the same day, USAID increased the aid by additional US$7.5 million in support for more competitive and diversified private sector in Armenia. The financial allocations will be directed to the financing of the USAID-funded project in infrastructures, agriculture, tourism․ After the signing of the new bilateral agreements, the total amount of the U.S. grants to Armenia amounted to around US$81 million. |
Economy of Armenia | European Union | European Union
According to the agreement signed in 2020 EU will provide Armenia with 65 million euros for implementation of three programs in such areas as energy efficiency, environment and community development and formation of tools for implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.
With curtailment of the MCC funding, the European Union may replace the US as Armenia's chief source of foreign aid for the first time since independence. From 2011 to 2013 the EU is expected to advance at least €157.3 million ($208 million) in aid to Armenia. |
Economy of Armenia | Domestic business environment | Domestic business environment
thumb|Headquarters of the Armenian State Revenue Committee (housing both the Armenian Customs Service and the Armenian Tax Service).Since transition of power to new leadership in 2018 Armenian government works on improving domestic business environment. Numerous formerly privileged business are now required to pay taxes and officially register all workers. Mainly due to this there were 9.7% more payroll employees registered in January 2019 as compared to January 2018.
In April 2019 Armenian parliament approved reforms of management of joint stock companies effectively enacting a blocking minority shareholders stake of 25% to cope with shareholder oppression.
Following the advice of economic advisers who cautioned Armenia's leadership against the consolidation of economic power in the hands of a few, in January 2001 the government of Armenia established the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition. Its members cannot be dismissed by the government.Competitive Edge: The pitfalls of monopolies, and the challenges of a business-influenced parliament , ArmeniaNow.com, January 4, 2008. |
Economy of Armenia | Foreign trade facilitation | Foreign trade facilitation
In June 2011 Armenia adopted a Law on Free Economic Zones (FEZ), and developed several key regulations at the end of 2011 to attract foreign investments into FEZs: exemptions from VAT (value added tax), profit tax, customs duties, and property tax.
The “Alliance” FEZ was opened in August 2013, and currently has nine businesses taking advantage of its facilities. The focus of “Alliance” FEZ is on high-tech industries which include information and communication technologies, electronics, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, architecture and engineering, industrial design and alternative energy. In 2014, the government expanded operations in the Alliance FEZ to include industrial production as long as there is no similar production already occurring in Armenia.
In 2015 another “Meridian” FEZ, focused on jewelry production, watch-making, and diamond-cutting opened in Yerevan, with six businesses operating in it. The investment programs for these companies must still be approved by government.
The Armenian government approved the program to construct the Meghri free economic zone at the border with Iran, which is expected to open in 2017. |
Economy of Armenia | Controversial issues | Controversial issues |
Economy of Armenia | Monopolies | Monopolies
Major monopolies in Armenia include:
Natural gas import and distribution, held by Gazprom Armenia, formerly named ArmRosGazprom (controlled by Russian monopoly Gazprom)New Russian Gas Price For Armenia Unveiled , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), September 23, 2008.
Armenia's railway, South Caucasus Railway, owned by Russian Railways (RZD)Armenian Railway Under Anti-Trust Investigation , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), November 5, 2008.
Electricity transmission and distribution (see Electricity sector in Armenia)
Newspaper distribution, held by HaymamulEditors Concerned About Sale Of Newspaper Distribution Firm, Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), September 13, 2007.
Former notable monopolies in Armenia :
Wireless (mobile) telephony, held by Armentel until 2004French Mobile Giant Set To Win Armenia Tender, Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), October 6, 2008.
Internet access, held by Armentel until September 2006Armenian Telecom Operator Fined $1 Mln , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), July 30, 2008.
Fixed-line telephony, held by Armentel until August 2007Armenian Telecom Sector Further Liberalized, Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), August 24, 2007.
Assumed (unofficial) monopolies until 2018 velvet revolution:
Oil import and distribution (claimed by Armenian opposition parties to belonging to a handful of government-linked individuals,Armenian Premier Downplays Impact Of Georgia War , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), August 28, 2008. one of which – "Mika Limited" – is owned by Mikhail Baghdasarian,Armenian Cement Plant ‘Sold To Russian Firm’ , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), August 15, 2008. while the other – "Flash" – is owned by Barsegh Beglarian, a "prominent representative of the Karabakh clan"Press Review (quoting Zhamanak Yerevan), Armenia Liberty, March 19, 2007.)
Aviation kerosene (supplying to Zvartnots airport), held by Mika LimitedArmenia Airport Hamstrung By Mysterious Fuel Shortage, Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), November 7, 2005.
Various basic foodstuffs such as rice, sugar, wheat, cooking oil and butterArmenian Central Bank Approves Another Rate Rise, Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), June 3, 2008.Government Vows To Curb Rising Inflation , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), May 29, 2008. (the Salex Group enjoys a de facto monopoly on imports of wheat, sugar, flour, butter and cooking oil. Its owner was a parliament deputy Samvel Aleksanian (a.k.a. "Lfik Samo") and close to the country's leadership.Mining Giant Remains Armenia’s Top Taxpayer , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), January 29, 2008.Armenia Hit By Sugar Shortage , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), October 23, 2007.).
According to one analyst, Armenia's economic system in 2008 was anticompetitive due to the structure of the economy being a type of "monopoly or oligopoly". "The result is the prices with us do not drop even if they do on international market, or they do quite belated and not to the size of the international market."Price Predictions: With present inflation at nearly triple expectation, economists challenge 2009 forecast, ArmeniaNow.com, November 14, 2008.
According to the 2008 estimate of a former prime minister, Hrant Bagratyan, 55 percent of Armenia's GDP is controlled by 44 families.
In early 2008 the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition named 60 companies having "dominant positions" in Armenia.
In October 2009, when visiting Yerevan, the World Bank’s managing director, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, warned that Armenia will not reach a higher level of development unless its leadership changes the "oligopolistic" structure of the national economy, bolsters the rule of law and shows "zero tolerance" towards corruption.Armenia Warned To End ‘Oligopoly’ , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL)October 10, 2009. "I think you can only go so far with this economic model," Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told a news conference in Yerevan. "Armenia is a lower middle-income country. If it wants to become a high-income or upper middle-income country, it can not do so with this kind of economic structure. That is clear." She also called for a sweeping reform of tax and customs administration, the creation of a "strong and independent judicial system" as well as a tough fight against government corruption. The warning was echoed by the International Monetary Fund."Armenia Learning From Crisis, Says World Bank " , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), November 27, 2009. |
Economy of Armenia | Takeover of Armenian industrial property by the Russian state and Russian companies | Takeover of Armenian industrial property by the Russian state and Russian companies
Since 2000 the Russian state has acquired several key assets in the energy sector and Soviet-era industrial plants. Property-for-debt or equity-for-debt swaps (acquiring ownership by simply writing off the Armenian government's debts to Russia) are usually the method of acquiring assets. The failure of market reforms, clan-based economics, and official corruption in Armenia have allowed the success of this process.Socor, Vladimir. "Armenia's Energy Sector, Other Industrial Assets Passing Under Russia's Control" , IASPS Policy Briefings: Oil in Geostrategic Perspective, November 13, 2002.
In August 2002 the Armenian government sold an 80 percent stake in the Armenian Electricity Network (AEN) to Midland Resources, a British offshore-registered firm which is said to have close Russian connections.
In September 2002 the Armenian government handed over Armenia's largest cement factory to the Russian ITERA gas exporter in payment for its $10 million debt for past gas deliveries.>Danielyan, Emil. RUSSIA TIGHTENS GRIP ON ARMENIA WITH DEBT AGREEMENTS, Eurasianet, May 7, 2003
On November 5, 2002, Armenia transferred control of 5 state enterprises to Russia in an assets-for-debts transaction which settled $100 million of Armenian state debts to Russia. The document was signed for Russia by Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and Industry Minister Ilya Klebanov, while Prime Minister Andranik Markarian and National Security Council Secretary Serge Sarkisian signed for Armenia. The five enterprises which passed to 100 percent Russian state ownership are:
Armenia's largest thermal gas-burning power plant, which is in the town of Hrazdan
"Mars" — electronics and robotics plant in Yerevan, a Soviet-era flagship for both civilian and military production
three research-and-production enterprises — for mathematical machines, for the study of materials, and for automated control equipment — these being Soviet-era military-industrial plants
In January 2003 the Armenian government and United Company RUSAL signed an investment cooperation agreement, under which United Company RUSAL (which already owned a 76% stake) acquired the Armenian government's remaining 26% share of RUSAL ARMENAL aluminum foil mill, giving RUSAL 100% ownership of RUSAL ARMENAL.
On November 1, 2006, the Armenian government handed de facto control of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline to Russian company Gazprom and increased Gazprom's stake in the Russian-Armenian company ArmRosGazprom from 45% to 58% by approving an additional issue of shares worth $119 million.Socor, Vladimir. "Russia Cements Control of Armenia's Energy System", Eurasia Daily Monitor, November 3, 2006. This left the Armenian government with a 32% stake in ArmRosGazprom. The transaction will also help finance ArmRosGazprom's acquisition of the Hrazdan electricity generating plant’s fifth power bloc (Hrazdan-5), the leading unit in the country.
In October 2008 the Russian bank Gazprombank, the banking arm of Gazprom, acquired 100 percent of Armenian bank Areximbank after previously buying 80 percent of said bank in November 2007 and 94.15 percent in July of the same year.
In December 2017 government transferred natural gas distribution networks in cities Meghri and Agarak to Gazprom Armenia for cost-free use. Construction of these was funded by foreign aid and costed about 1.3 billion AMD. |
Economy of Armenia | Non-transparent deals | Non-transparent deals
Critics of the Robert Kocharyan government (in office until 2008) say that the Armenian administration never considered alternative ways of settling the Russian debts. According to economist Eduard Aghajanov, Armenia could have repaid them with low-interest loans from other, presumably Western sources, or with some of its hard currency reserves which then totaled about $450 million. Furthermore, Aghajanov points to the Armenian government's failure to eliminate widespread corruption and mismanagement in the energy sector – abuses that cost Armenia at least $50 million in losses each year, according to one estimate.
Political observers say that Armenia's economic cooperation with Russia has been one of the least transparent areas of the Armenian government's work. The debt arrangements have been personally negotiated by (then) Defense Minister (and later President) Serge Sarkisian, initially Kocharyan's closest political associate. Other top government officials, including former Prime Minister Andranik Markarian, had little say on the issue. Furthermore, all of the controversial agreements have been announced after Sarkisian's frequent trips to Moscow, without prior public discussion.
While Armenia is not the only ex-Soviet state that has incurred multi-million-dollar debts to Russia over the past decades, it is the only state to have so far given up such a large share of its economic infrastructure to Russia. For example, pro-Western Ukraine and Georgia (both of which owe Russia more than Armenia) have managed to reschedule repayment of their debts. |
Economy of Armenia | Transportation routes and energy lines | Transportation routes and energy lines
thumb|Zvartnots International Airport main concourse |
Economy of Armenia | Internal | Internal
Since early 2008, Armenia's entire rail network is managed by the Russian state railway under brand South Caucasus Railways."Armenia ‘Pressing Ahead’ With Iran Rail Link" , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), October 14, 2008."Armenia Scrambles To Restore Vital Supplies Via Georgia" , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), August 18, 2008. |
Economy of Armenia | Metros | Metros
Yerevan Metro was launched in 1981. It serves 11 active stations. |
Economy of Armenia | Buses | Buses
Yerevan Central Bus Station, also known as Kilikia Bus Station, is Yerevan's primary bus terminal, linking buses to both domestic and foreign destinations. |
Economy of Armenia | Roadways | Roadways
Total length:
8,140 km, World ranking: 112 (7,700 km paved including 1561 km of expressways). |
Economy of Armenia | Through Georgia | Through Georgia
Russian natural gas reaches Armenia via a pipeline through Georgia.
The only operational rail link into Armenia is from Georgia. During Soviet times, Armenia's rail network connected to Russia's via Georgia through Abkhazia along the Black Sea. However, the rail link between Abkhazia and other Georgian regions has been closed for a number of years, forcing Armenia to receive rail cars laden with cargo only through the relatively expensive rail-ferry services operating between Georgian and other Black Sea ports.
The Georgian Black Sea ports of Batumi and Poti process more than 90 percent of freight shipped to and from landlocked Armenia. The Georgian railway, which runs through the town of Gori in central Georgia, is the main transport link between Armenia and the aforementioned Georgian seaports. Fuel, wheat and other basic commodities are transported to Armenia by rail.
Armenia's main rail and road border-crossing with Georgia (at ) is at the Debed river near the Armenian town of Bagratashen and the Georgian town of Sadakhlo.
The Upper Lars border crossing (at Darial Gorge) between Georgia and Russia across the Caucasus Mountains serves as Armenia's sole overland route to the former Soviet Union and Europe."Russia, Georgia Agree To Reopen Border Gate" , Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), December 24, 2009. It was controversially shut down by the Russian authorities in June 2006, at the height of a Russian-Georgian spy scandal. Upper Lars is the only land border crossing that does not go through Georgia's Russian-backed breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The other two roads linking Georgia and Russia run through South Ossetia and Abkhazia, effectively barring them to international traffic. |
Economy of Armenia | Through Iran | Through Iran
A new gas pipeline to Iran has been completed, and a road to Iran through the southern city of Meghri allows trade with that country. An oil pipeline to pump Iranian oil products is also in the planning stages.
As of October 2008 the Armenian government was considering implementing an ambitious project to build a railway to Iran. The 400 kilometer railway would pass through Armenia's mountainous southern province of Syunik, which borders Iran. Economic analysts say that the project would cost at least $1 billion (equivalent to about 40 percent of Armenia's 2008 state budget). As of 2010, the project has been continuously delayed, with the rail link estimated to cost as much as $4 billion and stretch . In June 2010, Transport Minister Manuk Vartanian revealed that Yerevan is seeking as much as $1 billion in loans from China to finance the railway's construction. |
Economy of Armenia | Through Turkey and Azerbaijan | Through Turkey and Azerbaijan
The border closures by Turkey and Azerbaijan have severed Armenia's rail link between Gyumri and Kars; the rail link with Iran through the Azeri exclave of Nakhichevan; and a natural gas and oil pipeline with Azerbaijan. Also closed are road links with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Despite the economic blockade of Turkey on Armenia, every day dozens of Turkish trucks laden with goods enter Armenia through Georgia.
In 2010 it was confirmed that Turkey will keep the border closed for the foreseeable future after the Turkey-Armenia normalization process collapsed. |
Economy of Armenia | Labor market | Labor market |
Economy of Armenia | Labor occupation | Labor occupation
According to the 2018 HDI statistical update, Armenia had the highest percentage of employment in services (49.7%) and lowest share in agriculture (34.4%) among the South Caucasus countries. |
Economy of Armenia | Unionization | Unionization
In 2018, about 30% of wage workers were organized in unions. At the same time, rate of unionization was dropping at average rate of 1% since 1993. |
Economy of Armenia | Monthly wages | Monthly wages
According to preliminary figures from Statistical Committee of Armenia monthly wages averaged to 172 thousand AMD in February 2019.
It is estimated that wages rise at 0.8% for each additional year of experience and "the ability to solve problems and learn new skills yields a wage premium of nearly 20 percent". |
Economy of Armenia | Unemployment | Unemployment
It was reported that in 2020 there was a drop in the unemployment rate in Armenia from 16.99% in 2019 to 16.63% in 2020. The Statistical Committee of Armenia reported that in 2020, the unemployment rate has been volatile reaching to 19.8% during the first quarter of the year and then decreasing to 16% during the fourth quarter. According to the latest reports on population of Armenia, in December 2020 the population consisted of 2.96million people and the average monthly earning during February 2021 was US$366.05.
According to prime minister Nikol Pashinyan in January 2019, 562,043 payroll jobs were recorded, against of 511,902 in January 2018, an increase of 9.7%.Statistical Committee of Armenia publication based on data retrieved from employers and national income service cites 560,586 payroll positions in January 2019, an increase of 9.9% against previous year. This however does not match survey data published by the Statistical Committee of Armenia, according to which in 4th quarter of 2018 there were 870.1 thousand persons employed against 896.7 thousand employed persons in 4th quarter of 2017. The mismatch was highlighted by former PM Hrant Bagratyan. For the whole year of 2018 Statistical Committee of Armenia survey counted 915.5 thousand employed persons, an increase of 1.4% against previous year. In the same period unemployment rate of economically active population dropped from 20.8% to 20.4%.
The unemployment rate, which stood at 38.4% in 2001, has fallen significantly over the past two and a half decades. It fluctuated between 16% and 19% from 2008 to 2020, before dropping to 15.5% in 2021, 13.5% in 2022 and 12.6% in 2023 due to the strong economic growth of recent years. At the same time, an estimated 60% of workers were employed in the informal economy in 2019. World Bank research also reveals that employment rate fell in years 2000–2015 in middle- and low-skill occupations, while it grew high-skill occupations.
See also Statistical Committee of Armenia publication (in English) "Labour market in the Republic of Armenia, 2018". |
Economy of Armenia | Female unemployment in Armenia | Female unemployment in Armenia
Worldwide, women's unemployment rate is 6%, higher than men's by about 0.8 points. According to International Labor Organization, Armenia has the highest women's unemployment rate in post-Soviet countries, equaling 17.3% for women above 25. If we compare this rate with those of the neighboring countries (Latvia: 8.6%, Georgia: 7.7%, Azerbaijan: 4.8%), we can see that it is very high. In 2017, the National Statistical Service of Armenia stated that more than 60% of officially registered unemployed people in Armenia are women. One of the lecturers of Yerevan State University, Ani Kojoyan, mentioned that even though there is no issue in the legislation that becomes a reason for women's unemployment; however, there are some issues that are not mentioned in the legislation. Some of those issues are the fact that potential employers consider women's marital status, how many children they have, or if they are planning to get pregnant any time soon. Moreover, some women are not allowed to work by their husbands after graduating from higher educational institutions. She mentions that the most crucial problem affecting this phenomenon is the fact women do not stand up for their rights. It is also mentioned that according to various sources, there is an inequality in men's and women's monthly wages. In all the sectors, the average monthly salary of men is much higher than women even with the same years of education. It is stated that eliminating the discrimination between two genders would positively impact the country's economy. Ani Kojoyan mentions that this is a crucial problem for the economy except for being a women's rights violation. Thus, the Armenian government should take care that unemployed women can find jobs and become taxpayers. |
Economy of Armenia | Migrant workers | Migrant workers
Since gaining independence in 1991, hundreds of thousands of Armenia's residents have gone abroad, mainly to Russia, in search of work. Unemployment has been the major cause of this massive labor emigration. OSCE experts estimate that between 116,000 and 147,000 people left Armenia for economic reasons between 2002 and 2004, with two-thirds of them returning home by February 2005. According to estimates by the National Statistical Survey, the rate of labor emigration was twice as higher in 2001 and 2002.
According to an OSCE survey, a typical Armenian migrant worker is a married man aged between 41 and 50 years who "began looking for work abroad at the age of 32–33."
For Armenians another feature of migration was an increase in a variety of threats. The journey itself was extremely dangerous. To pay their way, may departing migrants took out loans failed, the whole family's future was put at a risk. As a consequence, the practice of delaying or refusing to pay part or all of a migrant workers wages has become common. The risks were also heightened by many emigrants failure. This type of migration inherited almost all of the negative characteristics that described pre-transition labor migration.
During the workshop, participants addressed the increasing importance of migration as a growth factor, as well as the significance of SDG Target 10.7 on anticipated and well-managed migration policies for Armenia. |
Economy of Armenia | Natural environment protection | Natural environment protection
Environmental Project Implementation Unit implements projects related to Natural environment protection.
Armenia's greenhouse gas emissions decreased 62% from 1990 to 2013, averaging −1.3% annually.
Armenia is working on addressing its environmental problems. Ministry of Environment has introduced a pollution fee system by which taxes are levied on air and water emissions and solid waste disposal. |
Economy of Armenia | See also | See also
Armenian merchantry
Armenia Securities Exchange
Currency of Armenia
Diamond industry in Armenia
Eurasian Economic Union
Geographical Issues in Armenia
List of banks in Armenia
List of companies of Armenia |
Economy of Armenia | Notes | Notes |
Economy of Armenia | Sources | Sources |
Economy of Armenia | Books | Books
|
Economy of Armenia | External links | External links
Investment Council of Armenia
Neruzh Diaspora Tech Startup Program
Armenia Securities Exchange
Armenia
Armenia |
Economy of Armenia | Table of Content | Short description, Overview, Global competitiveness, History of the modern Armenian economy, Post-communist economic reforms, Outperforming GDP growth, Regional GDP, 2020 recession, Main sectors of economy, Agricultural sector, Mining, Construction sector, Energy, Digital economy, Industrial sector, Services sector, Retail trade, Information and Communication Technologies, Financial Services, Tourism, Financial system, Foreign debt, Exchange rate of national currency, Inflation, Cash remittances, Banking, Microfinance, Government revenues and taxation, Government revenues, Taxation, Employee income tax, Corporate income tax, Special taxation for small business, Value-added tax, Foreign trade, direct investments, and aid, Foreign trade, Exports, Imports, Deficit, Partners, European Union, Russia and former Soviet republics, China, Iran, United States, Georgia, Turkey, Foreign direct investments, Yearly FDI figures, Stock FDI, FDI in founding capital of financial institutions, Foreign aid, United States, European Union, Domestic business environment, Foreign trade facilitation, Controversial issues, Monopolies, Takeover of Armenian industrial property by the Russian state and Russian companies, Non-transparent deals, Transportation routes and energy lines, Internal, Metros, Buses, Roadways, Through Georgia, Through Iran, Through Turkey and Azerbaijan, Labor market, Labor occupation, Unionization, Monthly wages, Unemployment, Female unemployment in Armenia, Migrant workers, Natural environment protection, See also, Notes, Sources, Books, External links |
Transport in Armenia | Short description | This article considers transport in Armenia. |
Transport in Armenia | Railways | Railways |
Transport in Armenia | Total | Total
in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines |
Transport in Armenia | Broad gauge | Broad gauge
850 km of gauge (850 km electrified) (1995)
There is no service south of Yerevan.
City with metro system: Yerevan |
Transport in Armenia | International links | International links
Azerbaijan - closed - same gauge
Georgia - yes - same gauge
Iran - via Azerbaijan - closed - break of gauge - /
Turkey - closed - break of gauge -/
Most of the cross-border lines are currently closed due to political problems. However, there are daily inbound and outbound trains connecting Tbilisi and Yerevan. Departing from Yerevan railway station trains connect to both Tbilisi and Batumi. From neighboring Georgia, trains depart to Yerevan from Tbilisi railway station. Within Armenia, new electric trains connect passengers from Yerevan to Armenia's second-largest city of Gyumri. The new trains run four times a day and the journey takes approximately two hours.
There is also discussion to establish a rail link between Yerevan and Tehran. Armenia is pursuing funding from the Asian Development Bank to launch the construction of this infrastructure project. The completion of the project could establish a major commodities transit corridor and would serve as the shortest transportation route between Europe and the Persian Gulf. In June 2019, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani backed this project and stated that “we want the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to be connected to the Black Sea, and one of the ways to make this happen is through Iran, Armenia and Georgia.”
thumb|right|Yerevan Metro train |
Transport in Armenia | Metros | Metros
The capital city of Armenia, Yerevan, is serviced by the Yerevan Metro. The system was launched in 1981, and like most former Soviet Metros, its stations are very deep (20–70 meters underground) and intricately decorated with national motifs. The metro runs on a 13.4 kilometers (8.3 mi) line and currently serves 10 active stations. Trains run every five minutes from 6:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. local AMT time. As of 2017, the annual ridership of the metro is 16.2 million passengers. Free Wi-Fi is available at all stations and some trains. |
Transport in Armenia | Trams | Trams
Yerevan tram (Armenian: ) was a tram system previously operating in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It was opened on 29 September 1906 in the form of a city wagonway. In the second half of the 20th century, the tram system had up to 12 routes, which were served by 3 depots. Trams were operated until 21 January 2004. |
Transport in Armenia | History | History
Model of a horseway tram in Yerevan |alt=|center|thumb|220x220px
The only city in Armenia where a tram ever existed was Yerevan. On 29 September 1906, the Yerevan horse wagonway was opened. This type of narrow-gauge wagonway existed until August 1918, when the tram was destroyed during World War I.
On 12 January 1933, a wide-gauge electric tram was launched. The number of tram cars increased by 25% on average every five years, in 1933 it was 16, then in 1945 there were 77 cars, and in 1965 - 222 cars. Two types of trams were used, the 71-605 and the RVZ-6M2, both were Soviet made. Since the cost of the tram was 2.4% higher than that of buses, as well as due to expensive electricity and problems arising when the tram crossed the Great Bridge of Hrazdan in Yerevan, route #7 (Erebuni - Zeytun) was closed on 20 June 2003.
Most of the tracks have been removed and the trams have been turned into scrap. The tram depot is used by various private enterprises, and the substation currently serves the Yerevan trolleybus. |
Transport in Armenia | Buses | Buses |
Transport in Armenia | International connections | International connections
thumb|Yerevan Central Bus Station
Land borders are open with both Georgia and Iran. Yerevan Central Bus Station, also known as Kilikia Bus Station is the main bus terminal in Yerevan with buses connecting to both internal and international destinations. There are daily bus connections between Yerevan and Tbilisi and Yerevan and Tehran. Approximately three times daily, buses depart from Yerevan Central Bus Station to Stepanakert, the capital of the partially recognized state of Artsakh. There are also scheduled bus routes which connect Yerevan with Kyiv, Moscow, Saint Petersburg as well as several other cities across Russia. It is also possible to connect to Chișinău Moldova, Minsk Belarus and other cities in Eastern Europe from Yerevan through connecting bus routes via Georgia and Ukraine. In addition, there is a once a week bus service to Istanbul via Georgia. In June 2019, a new bus route from Baghdad to Yerevan via Iran began. |
Transport in Armenia | Local connections | Local connections
The Armenian bus network connects all major cities, towns, and villages throughout the country. In larger cities and towns such as Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor and Armavir, bus stations are equipped with a waiting room and a ticket office, in other towns bus stations may not have shelters. Most of the routes are operated by GAZelle minivans with a capacity of 15 passengers, some routes are operated by soviet bus producer LiAZ (Russia). Yerevan itself has a large integrated bus network, with a newly acquired bus fleet, passengers are able to connect from one end of the city to the other. Wi-Fi is available on most city buses. Despite this, buses often have difficulty meeting the demand for capacity, mainly in Yerevan, where vehicles are typically overcrowded. There are no night services between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. There is no ticket system in the country, passengers pay in cash to drivers. Passengers on the national bus network pay before boarding, passengers on the Yerevan bus network pay after the ride, while leaving the vehicle. Timetables and fares are published on Transport for Armenia.
From Yeritasardakan metro station in downtown Yerevan, travelers can take the 201 airport shuttle, which goes directly to Zvartnots International Airport, which takes approximately 20 minutes from the city center. |
Transport in Armenia | Roadways | Roadways
thumb|right|275px|The E-road network in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan. However, the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan is closed due to strained relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Since independence, Armenia has been developing its internal highway network. The "North-South Road Corridor Investment Program" is a major infrastructure project which aims at connecting the southern border of Armenia with its northern by means of a 556 km-long Meghri-Yerevan-Bavra highway. It is a major US$1.5 billion infrastructure project funded by the Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank and the Eurasian Development Bank. When completed, the highway will provide access to European countries via the Black Sea. It could also eventually interconnect the Black Sea ports of Georgia with the major ports of Iran, thus positioning Armenia in a strategic transport corridor between Europe and Asia. Armenia is pursuing further loans from China as part of the Belt and Road Initiative to complete the north–south highway.
Armenia connects to European road networks via the International E-road network through various routes such as; European route E117, European route E691, European route E001 and European route E60. Armenia also connects to the Asian Highway Network through routes AH81, AH82 and AH83.
The number of insured registered cars in Armenia has grown from 390,457 in 2011 to 457,878 in 2015. |
Transport in Armenia | Total | Total
8,800 km
World Ranking: 112 |
Transport in Armenia | Paved | Paved
8,800 km (including 1,561 km of expressways) |
Transport in Armenia | Unpaved | Unpaved
0 km (2006 est.) |
Transport in Armenia | Pipelines | Pipelines
Natural gas 3,838 km (2017) |
Transport in Armenia | Ports and harbors | Ports and harbors
Cargo shipments to landlocked Armenia are routed through ports in Georgia and Turkey. |
Transport in Armenia | Airports | Airports
thumb|right|Zvartnots International Airport
thumb|220x220px|Zvartnots International Airport main concourse.
Air transportation in Armenia is the most convenient and comfortable means of getting into the country. There are large international airports that accept both external and domestic flights throughout the Republic. As of 2020, 11 airports operate in Armenia. However, only Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport and Gyumri's Shirak Airport are in use for commercial aviation. There are three additional civil airports currently under reconstruction in Armenia, including Syunik Airport, Stepanavan Airport, and Goris Airport. The leading Armenian airlines in operation are Armenia Aircompany and Armenia Airways.
There are plenty of air connections between Yerevan and other regional cities, including Athens, Barcelona, Beirut, Berlin, Bucharest, Brussels, Damascus, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Kyiv, Kuwait City, London, Milan, Minsk, Moscow, Paris, Prague, Riga, Rome, Tehran, Tel-Aviv, Tbilisi, Vienna, Venice, and Warsaw, as well as daily connections to most major cities within the CIS region. Statistics show that the number of tourists arriving in the country by air transportation increases yearly. In 2018, passenger flow at the two main airports of Armenia reached a record high of 2,856,673 million people. In December 2019, yearly passenger flow exceeded 3,000,000 million people for the first time in Armenia's history.
In November 2019, the creation of a Free Route Airspace (FRA) between Armenia and Georgia was announced. The process has been carried out through the joint efforts of the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia, the Georgian Civil Aviation Administration and Eurocontrol. The Free Route Airspace between the two South Caucasus countries will increase flights to around 40,000 annually.
Country comparison to the world: 153 |
Transport in Armenia | Airports - with paved runways | Airports - with paved runways
Total: 10
Over 3,047 m (9,900 feet): 2
1,524 to 2,437 m (7,920 feet): 2
914 to 1,523 m (4,950 feet): 4
Under 914 m: 2 (as of 2008) |
Transport in Armenia | Airports - with unpaved runways | Airports - with unpaved runways
Total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 0
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 0 (as of 2008) |
Transport in Armenia | Heliports | Heliports
Armenia maintains a number of both military and civilian heliports. The main military heliport is located on the premises of Erebuni Airport in Yerevan. Meanwhile, the company Armenian Helicopters, based at Zvartnots Airport in Yerevan, offers charter flights within Armenia and to certain neighboring countries, including Georgia, Russia, and Turkey. Helicopter services are delivered with the US-made Robinson R66 and the European AIRBUS EC130T2 choppers. Flights can be carried out as scheduled or on individual routes.
thumb|250x250px|Wings of Tatev aerial tramway |
Transport in Armenia | Aerial tramways | Aerial tramways
The Wings of Tatev is currently the world's longest reversible aerial tramway which holds the record for longest non-stop double-track cable car and is located in the town of Halidzor.
In October 2019, it was announced that investors were interested in creating an aerial tramway in the capital, Yerevan. |
Transport in Armenia | International transport agreements | International transport agreements
Armenia cooperates in various international transport-related organizations and agreements, including the following:
Eurocontrol
European Aviation Safety Agency (Pan-European Partner)
European Civil Aviation Conference
European Common Aviation Area
International Civil Aviation Organization
International Road Transport Union
International Transport Forum
International Union of Railways (Associate member)
Montreal Convention
TIR Convention
TRACECA
Trans-European Transport Networks |
Transport in Armenia | See also | See also
Civil Aviation Committee of Armenia
Economy of Armenia
Ministry of Transport and Communication (Armenia)
Tourism in Armenia
Transport in Europe
Transport in Georgia (country)
Transport in the Republic of Artsakh |
Transport in Armenia | References | References |
Transport in Armenia | External links | External links
|
Transport in Armenia | Table of Content | Short description, Railways, Total, Broad gauge, International links, Metros, Trams, History, Buses, International connections, Local connections, Roadways, Total, Paved, Unpaved, Pipelines, Ports and harbors, Airports, Airports - with paved runways, Airports - with unpaved runways, Heliports, Aerial tramways, International transport agreements, See also, References, External links |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Short description | The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia (, abbreviated ՀՀ ԶՈՒ, HH ZU), sometimes referred to as the Armenian Army (), is the national military of Armenia. It consists of personnel branches under the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, which can be divided into two general branches: the Ground Forces, and the Air Force. Although it was partially formed out of the former Soviet Army forces stationed in the Armenian SSR (mostly units of the 7th Guards Army of the Transcaucasian Military District), the military of Armenia can be traced back to the founding of the First Republic of Armenia in 1918. Being landlocked, Armenia does not have a navy.
The Commander-in-Chief of the military is the President of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan. The Ministry of Defence is in charge of political leadership, headed by Suren Papikyan, while military command remains in the hands of the general staff, headed by the Chief of Staff, who is Major-General . Border guards subject to the Ministry of Defence until 2001, patrol Armenia's borders with Georgia and Azerbaijan, while Russian troops continue to monitor its borders with Iran and Turkey. Since 2002, Armenia has been a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Armenia signed a military cooperation plan with Lebanon on 27 November 2015. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | History | History |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Early Armenian Army | Early Armenian Army
An Armenian military corps was established to fight against the Ottomans during the Turkish–Armenian War in early 1918. In accordance with the Treaty of Batum of 4 June 1918 the Ottoman Empire demobilized most of the Armenian army.Hovannisian. Armenia on the Road to Independence, pp. 197. Ethnic Armenian conscripts and volunteers in the Imperial Russian Army would later become the core of the military of the First Armenian Republic.left|thumb|An Armenian fedayi group fighting under the Armenian Revolutionary Federation banner, ca. 1890s |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Soviet era | Soviet era
The 7th Guards Army was based in Yerevan from 1946 to 1992. In the late 1980s the Army consisted of:
Directorate – Yerevan
15th Motor Rifle Division – Kirovakan (now Vanadzor)
75th Motor Rifle Division – Nakhichevan
127th Motor Rifle Division – Leninakan (now Gyumri)
164th Motor Rifle Division – Yerevan
On 1 June 1992, ITAR-TASS reported that General Fyodor Reut said that some units of the 7th Guards Army would begin leaving Armenia in 10–15 days. The army was disbanded later that summer.Holm/Feskov 2015, 7th Guards Combined Arms Army The former Soviet Air Defense Forces in Armenia were drawn from the 14th Air Defense Corps of the 19th Separate Air Defense Army. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | 1988–1992 | 1988–1992
The modern Armenian military entered its first stage at the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, when Armenian militias were formed to combat Azerbaijani units in Artsakh.Ministry of Defense of Armenia. General History of the Armenian Army . Retrieved 31 January 2006. On 20 September 1990, the first military unit was created, the Yerevan Special Regiment, with the first oath being held in the Republican Assembly Point and was attended by the first President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Prime Minister Vazgen Manukyan, and defence minister Vazgen Sargsyan. Five battalions were also formed in Ararat, Goris, Vardenis, Ijan and Meghri. In 1991, by the decision of the government, the State Committee of Defense under the Council of Ministers, which facilitated the task of coordinating the defense operations of Armenia, becoming the basis on which the Ministry of Defense was to be established later on. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Post-1992 | Post-1992
Armenia established a Ministry of Defence on 28 January 1992. The first military unit of the defence ministry to be formed was the 1st Airborne Regiment, where the first Armenian soldier took the oath to the nation that March. Since a significant part of the officers of the Armed Forces were fighters of the self-defense volunteer detachments, a center for raising the qualification of officers was established for their qualification and training, which during its activity it provided about 1,500 officer-graduates. The School of Non-Commissioned Officers produced about 1,000 graduates.
The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe was ratified by the Armenian parliament in July 1992. The treaty establishes comprehensive limits on key categories of military equipment, such as tanks, artillery, armored combat vehicles, combat aircraft, and combat helicopters, and provides for the destruction of weaponry in excess of those limits. Armenian officials have consistently expressed determination to comply with its provisions and thus Armenia has provided data on armaments as required under the CFE Treaty. Despite this, Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of diverting a large part of its military forces to Nagorno-Karabakh and thus circumventing these international regulations. In March 1993, Armenia signed the multilateral Chemical Weapons Convention, which calls for the eventual elimination of chemical weapons. Armenia acceded to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapons state in July 1993.
In addition to the branches of services listed above, Armenia established its own Internal Troops from the former Soviet Interior Troops after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.See for example http://www.mia.gov.az/index.php?/en/content/278/ Up until December 2002, Armenia maintained a Ministry of Internal Affairs, but along with the Ministry of National Security, it was reorganized as a non-ministerial institution. The two organizations became the Police of Armenia and the National Security Service.Taylor and Francis, Europa World Yearbook 2004, p.554 |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Organization and service branches | Organization and service branches
The Armenian Armed Forces are Headquartered in Yerevan, where most of the general staff is based. The general staff is responsible for operational command of the Armenian Military and its two major branches. The armed forces also has the following personnel branches:
Department of Military Preparedness
Department of Military Apparatus
Department of Aviation
Department of Missile Troops
Department of Air Defence
Department of Rear Services
Department of Signal Troops
Department of the Engineer Troops
Department of Armaments
Department of the RNBC Defence Troops
Medical Department
Personnel Department
Intelligence Department
Strategic Planning Department
Mobilization Department
Operative Department
Department of Military Service Security
Department of Military Commissars
Financial Department
Human Resources Department |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Ground Forces | Ground Forces
thumb|240px|Armenian soldiers in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
thumb|right|240px|Snipers during a field exercise (2004)
According to IISS 2010, Armenia has 30 T-80 tanks,Jane's World Armies Armenia, 2008. 390 T-72 tanks, 14 T-54/55 tanks and 80 BMP-1's, 7 BMP-1K, 55 BMP-2 and 12 BRM-1K. Wheeled APCs reported included 11 BTR-60s, 21 BTR-70s, 4 BTR-80s, 145 MT-LBs, 5 BMD-1S, and 120 BRDM-2 scout vehicles.
Although the Russians have supplied newer equipment to Armenia over the years, the numbers have never been sufficient to upgrade all ground force formations and many of the lower readiness units still have older, Soviet-legacy systems that have not been upgraded or in many cases effectively maintained. These older systems are placing great demands on the logistics system for service, maintenance, replacement parts and necessary upgrades, costing the army both financially and in overall readiness. The ground force is engaged in an effort of reassessment, reorganisation and restructuring, as the future of Armenia's defence needs a revised force structure and unit mix. The army sees the need to maintain much of its traditional mechanised formations, but is looking to lighten and make more mobile and self-sustainable a small number of other formations. It must develop these newer formations to support its international requirements and effectively operate in mountainous and other rugged terrain, but it must do this without affecting the mechanised capability that is needed to confront Azerbaijan's conventional forces.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Armenia has followed a policy of developing its armed forces into a professional, well trained, and mobile military. In 2000, the Centre for International Studies and Research reported that at that time the Armenian Army had the strongest combat capability of the three South Caucasus countries' armies (the other two being Georgia and Azerbaijan).Robert Fairbanks, Public and private armies in the Caucasus, Sciences Po, November 2000 CSTO Secretary, Nikolay Bordyuzha, came to a similar conclusion after collective military drills in 2007 when he stated that, "the Armenian Army is the most efficient one in the post-Soviet space". This was echoed more recently by Igor Korotchenko, a member of the Public Council, Russian Ministry of Defense, in a March 2011 interview with Voice of Russia radio.
The Army is functionally divided into Active and Reserve Forces. Their main functions include deterrence, defense, peace support and crisis management, humanitarian and rescue missions, as well as social functions within Armenian society.
The Active Forces mainly have peacekeeping and defensive duties, and are further divided into Deployment Forces, Immediate Reaction, and Main Defense Forces. The Reserve Forces consists of Enhancement Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, and Training Grounds. They deal with planning and reservist preparation, armaments and equipment storage, training of formations for active forces rotation or increase in personnel.
During peacetime the Army maintains permanent combat and mobilization readiness. They become part of multinational military formations in compliance with international treaties Armenia is a signatory to, participate in the preparation of the population, the national economy and the maintenance of wartime reserves and the infrastructure of the country for defense.
In times of crisis the Army's main tasks relate to participation in operations countering terrorist activities and defense of strategic facilities (such as nuclear power plants and major industrial facilities), assisting the security forces in proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, illegal armaments traffic and international terrorism.
In case of low- and medium-intensity military conflict the Active Forces that are part of the Army participate in carrying out the initial tasks for the defense of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country. In case of a high intensity conflict the Land Forces, together with the Air Force, Air Defense and Border Guards, form the defense group of the Armenian Armed Forces aiming at countering aggression and protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.
Experiments in developing small arms have been undertaken in Armenia, producing the K-3 assault rifle, but Jane's Infantry Weapons estimates that the program has ceased, and the rifle is not in widespread service with the army. The AK-74 is the standard-issue rifle of the Armenian Army with older AKMs in reserve use. Beside AK rifles Armenian forces use mostly Russian small arms like the Makarov pistol, SVD sniper rifle, and the PKM general purpose machine gun. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Air Force and Air Defense | Air Force and Air Defense
thumb|190x190px|Armenian Air Force Su-25's during a military parade in Yerevan
The Armenian Air Force consists of 15 Su-25 ground attack planes, 18 Su-30 jet fighters, 1 Mig 25, 16 Mil Mi-24 helicopter gunships, 6 L-39 trainer and attack aircraft, 16 Yak-52 trainer aircraft, 3 Il-76 cargo planes, 18 Mil Mi-8 transport helicopters, and 10 Mil Mi-2 light utility helicopters. There are an additional 18 MiG-29 fighter jets of the Russian 102nd Military Base stationed in Gyumri.
The Armenian anti-aircraft branch was equipped and organized as part of the military reform program of Lieutenant-General Norat Ter-Grigoryants. It consists of an anti-aircraft missile brigade and two regiments armed with 100 anti-aircraft complexes of various models and modifications, including the SA-8, Krug, S-75, S-125, SA-7, SA-10, SA-13, SA-16 and SA-18. Russia has SA-6 and S-300 long range surface-to-air missiles at the Russian 102nd Military Base. There are also 24 Scud ballistic missiles with eight launchers.
Numerical strength is estimated at 3,000 servicemen, with plans for further expansion.
In late December 2010, the Armenian Defense Minister, Seyran Ohanyan, officially acknowledged that the army are equipped with the Russian-made S-300 surface-to-air missiles. The statement was made while the Minister was inspecting a new air-defense command point that maintains "state-of-the-art equipment" built specifically for the operation of the S-300's. Russian specialist started to train Armenian teams on sophisticated Missiles and Defensive Systems. The S-300 was paraded for the first time in the 2011 Parade and the only S-300 missile system (SA10 Grumble) which likes mobility. The S-300 is the main Air Defensive system that protects Armenia's air security. In the 2016 Armenian Parade celebrating the Armenian Independence BUK-M2 Air Defense Systems were shown. These systems were not part of the 200 million dollar contract agreement between Yerevan and Moscow but an agreement between CSTO partners. Other devices such as stem of electronic warfare (EW) "Infauna" and P-325U consist in the Armenian Armed Forces. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Military of Artsakh | Military of Artsakh
In addition to forces mentioned above, there were around 20,000 active soldiers defending Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory which seceded from Azerbaijan from 1991 to 2023. They were well trained and well equipped with the latest in military software and hardware.C. W. Blandy, Azerbaijan: Is War Over Nagornyy Karabakh a Realistic Option? , Advanced Research and Assessment Group, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Caucasus Series 08/17, 2008, p.16 The Karabakh army's heavy military hardware included: 316 tanks, 324 armored vehicles, 322 artillery pieces of calibers over 122 mm, 44 multiple rocket launchers, and a new anti-aircraft defense system.DeRouen, Karl and Uk Heo (eds.) Civil Wars of the World: Major Conflicts since World War II. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2007, p. 151. In addition, the Artsakh Defence Army maintained a small air-force of 2 Su-25s, 5 Mi-24s and 5 other helicopters. The Artsakh Defence Army was disbanded on 21 September 2023 under the terms of Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement following the 2023 Azerbaijani military offensive on the territory. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Personnel | Personnel
The Armed Forces of Armenia is constitutionally a conscript force, but there is also a growing number of professional officers. There were roughly 19,000 conscripts and 23,000 professionals serving in 2017. Enlistment, which is performed twice a year, is handled by military commissariats. Male draftees between the ages of 18 and 27 are obliged to present themselves in the commissariats for registration. People who have changed their citizenship or have dual citizenship are also subject to conscription, unless they have already served in the armed forces of another country. Since 2003, conscientious objectors can apply for alternative service. Draft evaders can not be appointed to public service positions. Citizens who have completed military service are registered in the reserve and are divided into rank and file, non-commissioned and commissioned staff of the reserve. Reservists can be called up to training musters and exercises in peacetime. Reserve obligation lasts up to the age of 50. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Educational institutions | Educational institutions
thumb|Contingent from the Armed Forces of Armenia on Red Square in 2015.
National Defense Research University
Vazgen Sargsyan Military University
Monte Melkonian Military Academy
Armenak Khanperyants Military Aviation University
Yerevan State Medical University Military Faculty
Foreign institutions for Armenian soldiers
Military Academy of Modena
École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr
Hellenic Military Academy
Military University of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation—College of Military Finance
Higher military education is provided by the National Defense Research University in Yerevan. It was established in 2016, on the basis of the Institute for National Strategic Studies.
The I Have the Honour State Program is an educational program of the ministry of defence that serves conscripts in the army. Participants of the program are given the right to defer conscription in favor of education in post-secondary institutions with full reimbursement of tuition fees, after which the conscript is awarded the rank of lieutenant and is appointed to the service for a period of 2 years and 3 months. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Contract service | Contract service
A contractual military service is a service last for 3–12 months, or for a term of three or five years. Males under 36 who have not previously served as contract servicemen and are registered in the reserve, can be enrolled in contractual military service as privates. Felons and those not fit for service are ineligible for contract service. Since 2008, sergeant training courses for contract servicemen have operated in the Armed Forces and since 2013, the duration of the courses has three months. The courses are open to reservist privates under the age of 25. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Conscription | Conscription
Military service in Armenia is mandatory. Citizens aged 27 to 50 are registered in the reserve and may be drafted if a national mobilization was declared. The enlistment process is handled by the military commissariats in January and May. Dual citizens are not be exempt from the draft. If one fails to follow through with their obligations, a criminal case is then instituted, which could lead to 3 years in jail.
The following military commissariats operate in Armenia:
Yerevan
Conscription and Mobilization Service
No.1 territorial subdivision
No.2 Territorial Subdivision
No.3 Territorial Subdivision
No.4 Territorial Subdivision
Ashtarak
Aragatsotn Regional Subdivision
Artashat
Ararat Regional Subdivision
Armavir
Armavir Regional Subdivision
Martuni
Gegharkunik Regional Subdivision
Abovyan
Kotayk Regional Subdivision
Vanadzor
Lori Regional Subdivision
Gyumri
Shirak Regional Subdivision
Goris
Syunik Regional Subdivision
Ijevan
Tavush Regional Subdivision
Yeghegnadzor
Vayots Dzor Province Regional Subdivision
The armed forces also sport the following volunteer units:
Sisakan Regiment
Erato Detachment
Vanadzor Volunteer Detachment
Homeland Detachment
ARF Battalion
Tigran the Great International Military Regiment |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Women in the armed forces | Women in the armed forces
During the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in the early 90s, at least 115 Armenian women were known to have taken part in combat operations. Many women from the diaspora arrived to serve in non-combat missions. The first woman to have been given a significant position in the military was Zhanna Galstyan, who was appointed deputy commander of the Central District Defensive Unit after the formation of the Artsakh Defense Army.
More than 2,000 women currently serve in the army, with most working in administrative positions or in liaison and medical units. In October 2016, a program, approved by the National Assembly, committed the military to "creating additional opportunities" for women serving in the army or seeking military service. Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan at the time told the MPs that "It would be wrong not to let them (women) reach their full potential." The Erato Detachment was the first all-women military unit in the Armenian Armed Forces, being created after of clashes between the Azerbaijani Army and Armenia occurred in July 2020. Anna Hakobyan, the wife of the current Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, underwent a week long combat readiness program with women from the Republic of Artsakh who joined the unit. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Minorities | Minorities
During the 2020 war, a group of Yazidi reservists formed a reserve military unit that joined the frontline in Karabakh. The unit was led by Rzgan Sarhangyan and is composed of 50 soldiers aged between 18 and 55. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Equipment | Equipment
The Armenian Army operates a wide variety of older equipment, mostly of Soviet origin. There is also some newer equipment from Russia. In 2015, a US$200m loan was ratified by Russia for the purchase of modern weapons between 2015 and 2017. Armenia produces its own combat helmets and body armors through the works of a joint Armenian-Polish company. Some personal equipment used by special units (Future Assault Shell Technology helmets, plate carriers and special pouches) is imported. Armenia also produces most of its small arms, with only specialised units being imported.
Following the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh clashes, the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly released a report, which detailed the circumstances of death of Armenian servicemen. Among the contributing factors were stated to be malfunctioning equipment and lack of necessary materiel, especially ammunition. This was followed by plans to increase Armenian defense spending to purchase more weapons and ammunition.
Armenia is not a significant exporter of conventional weapons, but it has provided support, including material, to the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | International military cooperation | International military cooperation |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Russia | Russia
thumb|Vladimir Putin during his visit to the 102nd Russian military base in Armenia.
Russia is one of the closest allies of Armenia. The Russian 102nd Military Base, the former 127th Motor Rifle Division, is stationed in Gyumri. The military alliance of the two nations and, in particular, the presence of Russian troops on Armenian soil has been a key element of Armenia's national security doctrine since Armenia gained independence in 1991. Russia stations an estimated 5,000 soldiers of all types in Armenia, including 3,000 officially reported to be based at the 102nd Military Base. In 1997, the two countries signed a far-reaching friendship treaty, which calls for mutual assistance in the event of a military threat to either party and allows Russian border guards to patrol Armenia's frontiers with Turkey and Iran. In early 2005, the 102nd Military Base had 74 tanks, 17 battle infantry vehicles, 148 armored personnel carriers, 84 artillery pieces, 18 MiG-29 fighters, one battery of SA-6 and two batteries of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles. However, in 2005–2007, following an agreement on the withdrawal of two Russian military bases from Georgia, a great deal of military hardware was moved to the 102nd Base from the Russian 12th Military Base in Batumi and the 62nd Military Base at Akhalkalaki, Georgia. Russia also supplies weapons at the relatively lower prices of the Russian domestic market as part of a collective security agreement since January 2004.
According to unconfirmed reports by the Azeri media, Russia has supplied $1 billion worth of arms and ammunitions to Armenia in 1996; and handed over an additional $800 million worth of arms to Armenia in 2008–2009. According to AzerNews, the weapons in this latest transfer include 21 tanks, 12 armored vehicles, five other battle machines, a great number of rocket launchers, over 1,050 cases of grenades, nearly 7,900 types of ammunition, 120 grenade launchers, over 4,000 sub-machine guns, TNT fuses, mines of various types, 14 mine-launchers, 9 Grad launchers, five cannons, and other weapons.AzerNews Russia `donates` $800m arms to Armenia 14 January 2009
Officer training is another sphere of Russian-Armenian military cooperation. In the first years of sovereignty when Armenia lacked a military educational establishment of its own, officers of its army were trained in Russia. Even now when Armenia has a military college on its own territory, the Armenian officer corps honors the tradition and is trained at Russian military educational establishments. In 1997, 600 Armenian servicemen were being trained at Russian Military Academies: the training was conducted by the Marshal Bagramyan Training Brigade.Ministry of Defence of Armenia, Official Web Site
At the first meeting of the joint Russian-Armenian government panel for military-technical cooperation that took place during autumn 2005, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov reported that, Russian factories will participate in the Armenian program of military modernization, and that Russia is prepared to supply the necessary spare parts and equipment. In accordance with this agreement, Armenia and Russia agreed to work together in exporting weapons and other military equipment to third countries in December 2009. The export agreement was signed by Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and a visiting senior Russian official, Konstantin Biryulin, during a meeting of a Russian-Armenian inter-governmental commission on bilateral military-technical cooperation. The agreement envisages the two countries' interaction in exporting military production to third countries, which will help to strengthen the armed forces of the two states, and further cement the already close Russian–Armenian military cooperation.
A Russian-Armenian defense agreement signed in August 2010 extends Russia's military presence in Armenia till 2044 and commits Russia to supplying Armenia with modern and compatible weaponry and special military hardware at reduced prices.
At the beginning of 2009, Azerbaijani media published allegations that Russia had made extensive weapons transfers to Armenia throughout 2008 costing about $800 million. On 12 January 2009, the Russian ambassador was invited to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs and asked about this information. On 21 January 2009, Russian ministry of foreign relations officially denied the transfers. According to US diplomatic cables leaked in December 2010, Azerbaijani defence minister Safar Abiyev claimed that in January 2009 during his visit to Moscow, his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov unofficially had admitted to weapons transfers "after the second bottle of vodka" that evening, although officially it was denied.
In June 2013 it was revealed that Russia has deployed in Armenia several Iskander-M ballistic missiles systems, which are stationed at undisclosed locations in the country. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Collective Security Treaty Organisation | Collective Security Treaty Organisation
On 7 October 2002, the Presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, signed a charter in Tashkent, founding the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) (Russian: Организация Договора о Коллективной Безопасности (ОДКБ/ODKB)) or simply Ташкентский договор (The Tashkent Treaty). Nikolai Bordyuzha was appointed secretary general of the new organisation. On 23 June 2006, Uzbekistan became a full participant in the CSTO and its membership was formally ratified by its parliament on 28 March 2008.eurasianhome.org Access date: 24 December 2014 (Archive date 27 February 2014) Furthermore, the CSTO is an observer organisation at the United Nations General Assembly.
The charter reaffirmed the desire of all participating states to abstain from the use or threat of force. Signatories would not be able to join other military alliances or other groups of states, while aggression against one signatory would be perceived as an aggression against all. To this end, the CSTO holds yearly military command exercises for the CSTO nations to have an opportunity to improve inter-organisation cooperation. The largest-scale CSTO military exercise held, to date, were the "Rubezh 2008" exercises hosted in Armenia where a combined total of 4,000 troops from all 7 constituent CSTO member countries conducted operative, strategic, and tactical training with an emphasis towards furthering the efficiency of the collective security element of the CSTO partnership.
The Ministry of Defense of Armenia has repeatedly stated that it would expect direct military assistance from the CSTO in case war with Azerbaijan resumes, as recently as December 2009, Defense Minister Ohanyan made the same statement. In August 2009, Nikolay Bordyuzha, the CSTO's secretary-general, confirmed that official Yerevan can count on such support.
On 4 February 2009, an agreement to create the Collective Rapid Reaction Force (KSOR) was reached by five of the seven CSTO members, with plans finalized on 14 June 2009. Armenia is one of the five member states. The force is intended to be used to repulse military aggression, conduct anti-terrorist operations, fight transnational crime and drug trafficking, and neutralize the effects of natural disasters. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | NATO | NATO
Armenia participates in NATO's Partnership for Peace (PiP) program and it is in a NATO organization called Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC). Armenia is in the process of implementation of Individual Partnership Action Plans (IPAPs), which is a program for those countries that have the political will and ability to deepen their relationship with NATO. Cooperative Best Effort exercise (the first where Russia was represented) was run on Armenian territory in 2003. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | France | France
On 5 October 2023, following the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, France announced that it would send defense aid to the Armenian military. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Greece | Greece
Greece is Armenia's closest ally in NATO and the two cooperate on multiple issues. A number of Armenian officers are trained in Greece every year, and military aid/material assistance has been provided to Armenia. In 2003, the two countries signed a military cooperation accord, under which Greece will increase the number of Armenian servicemen trained at the military and military-medical academies in Athens.
In February 2003, Armenia sent 34 peacekeepers to Kosovo where they became part of the Greek contingent. Officials in Yerevan have said the Armenian military plans to substantially increase the size of its peacekeeping detachment and counts on Greek assistance to the effort. In June 2008, Armenia sent 72 peacekeepers to Kosovo for a total of 106 peacekeepers.
In November 2024, several sources claimed that Greece was planning to transfer all Russian-made air defences it possessed to Armenia. The equipment includes S-300 long-range SAMs, acquired by Greece after the Cypriot Missile Crisis, Tor-M1 short-medium range SAM, and Osa-AKM short-range systems. The claim has not been confirmed by the Greek MoD yet. |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Baltic States | Baltic States
Lithuania has been sharing experience and providing consultations to the Armenian Defense Ministry in the field of democratic control of armed forces, military and defense concepts and public relations since 2002. Since 2004, Armenian officers have been invited to study at the Lithuanian War Academy and the Baltic Defence College in Tartu, Estonia. Lithuania covers all study expenditures. In early 2007, two Armenian officers for the first time took part in a Baltic lead international exercise, Amber Hope, which was held in Lithuania.Lithuanian Defense Minister Going To Armenia |
Armed Forces of Armenia | United States | United States
thumb|Armenian troops before loading onto a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during a training exercise
The United States has been steadily upping its military clout in the region. In early 2003, the United States Department of Defense announced several major military programs in the Caucasus. Washington's military aid to Armenia in 2005 amounted to $5 million, and in April 2004, the two sides signed a military-technical cooperation accord. In late 2004, Armenia deployed a unit of 46 soldiers, which included bomb-disposal experts, doctors, and transport specialists, to Iraq as part of the American-led Multi-National Force Iraq. In 2005, the United States allocated $7 million to modernize the military communications of the Armenian Armed Forces.
Since 2003, Armenia and the Kansas National Guard have exchanged military delegations as part of a National Guard Bureau program to promote better relations between the United States and developing nations. The program has largely consisted of mutual visits to each other's countries in an effort to share "ideas and [the] best practices for military and emergency management.""Kansas National Guard aiding Armenian military." Kansas City Star. 27 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
Eagle Partner 2023 was a military exercise which took place in Armenia from 11 September to 20 September 2023. The main goal of the exercise was the fortifying of the alliance between the United States with Armenia and also the training of the 12th Peacekeeping Brigade of the Armed Forces of Armenia for future peacekeeping missions. Eagle Partner 2024 began on 15 July 2024. The exercises were scheduled to last through July 24.Armenia launches military drills with US amid souring ties with old ally Russia
On 6 December 2024, Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan held a high-level meeting with United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at The Pentagon. The two leaders met to discuss the strategic relationship between the United States and Armenia. Austin stated, "Your visit is historic. Armenia extended its hand to the United States and I'm proud to host you here today" and "the U.S. supports a sovereign, independent, and prosperous Armenia and that relationship between the two nations continues to grow closer."Pentagon head describes the visit of Armenian DM as "historic" Papikyan highlighted the priority of transforming the Armenian Armed Forces and enhancing interoperability with the U.S. Armed Forces.Armenian Defense Minister, U.S. Secretary of Defense discuss cooperation |
Armed Forces of Armenia | European Union | European Union
On 22 July 2024, the European Union approved the allocation of 10 million euros to the Armed Forces of Armenia from the European Peace Facility. This marked the first ever funding assistance to the Armed Forces of Armenia from the EU. The funding will be used to increase the material and technical capabilities of Armenia's army. The EU's Foreign Affairs chief, Josep Borrell stated "Security is an important element of bilateral relations with Armenia. The EU has a mutual interest in further expanding dialogue on foreign and security policy, also looking into Armenia's future participation in EU-led missions and operations." Armenia's Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated "We salute the historic decisions of EU Foreign Affairs Council on providing assistance to Armenia under the European Peace Facility. This is a very important milestone in the Armenia-EU partnership based on shared values and principles as well as the vision for stability, peace and prosperity." While the Armenian Minister of Defence, Suren Papikyan stated "This initiative will give a new charge to closer cooperation with our partner EU member countries in both bilateral and multilateral formats."EU Approves 10 Million Euros in Military Assistance to ArmeniaEuropean Peace Facility: Council adopts the first ever assistance measure in support of the Armenian Armed Forces |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Peacekeeping operations | Peacekeeping operations
As of 2022, Armenia is involved in peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Mali and Kazakhstan |
Armed Forces of Armenia | Kosovo | Kosovo
There are 70 Armenian soldiers serving in Kosovo as peacekeepers.
Armenia joined the Kosovo Force in Kosovo in 2004. Armenian "blue helmets" serve within the Greek Army battalion. The relevant memorandum was signed on 3 September 2003, in Yerevan and ratified by the Armenian Parliament on 13 December 2003. The sixth deployment of Armenian peacekeepers departed for Kosovo on 14 November 2006. In 2008, the Armenian National Assembly voted unanimously to double the peacekeeping force in Kosovo by sending an extra 34 peacekeepers to the region, increasing the total number of peacekeepers in the region to 68.
Armenia temporarily withdrew its peacekeepers from Kosovo in February 2012 as a result of the reduction of the Greek subdivisions. Armenia redeployed them in July to serve alongside American soldiers in Kosovo. |
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