“…Not even all Jews are Jews. And many of whom you wouldn’t believe it are Jews. I even knew a Jewish African once.” These words of doctor Ravic from Arch of Triumph seem to fit Armenians too.  Luckily, their stories in Kinshasa have been happier than those pictured by Remarque. 

Armenians came to the Democratic Republic of Congo not to seek refuge from adversity, but for work and business. A few of them come from France and Belgium and the majority from Lebanon. Most of them stay as long as their business runs, but a handful of them settled down and started families.  

When Garro recently came to Armenia for the first time, locals kept wondering every time they found “that African guy” has the same kind of “–ian” last name as most of Armenians. “Africans are still exotic to most of people around here. They are twice as much surprised when they look at my business card and see that I am Nanikian”, he smiles. 

Garro came to Yerevan with a delegation of Congolese businessmen invited by another Armenian, Valery Safarian. Originally from Belgium, Valery is now based in Kinshasa, bridging Congolese and European businesses. Setting a link with Armenia was the next logical step, since Safarian is also the chairman of Belgian Armenian Chamber of Commerce.  

Congolese came to explore the country rather than to look for specific opportunities. But they haven’t discarded the new destination and plan to come back in several months to see how they can actually trade.

Congo is a very large and untapped market for Armenia, Safarian says. Most of Armenian producers are ambitious to sell in Europe but they should not write off African countries. Their import regulation is more relaxed than in Europe, so a lot depends on trust rather than rules. But as much relaxed are quality and certification requirements. Reasonably good merchandise is just enough, Safaryan says.

Businessmen from Lebanon have already made the case. Byblos bank, the third largest in Lebanon, is present in several sub-Saharan countries (and in Armenia as well). A lot of traders from Lebanon facilitate commerce inside the country. Every now and then one can find Armenians on their staff.

There are barely more than two dozen Armenians in 12-million Kinshasa, but on June 17 Alex Miskirtchian will be the talk of the town. He has already gained three boxing titles of the European Boxing Union (EBU), and in 2014 became the Vice champion of the world. 

On June 17 he will try his skills against one of the best boxers of Congo.

He has already fought a match in Kinshasa a year ago, when he secured a win over the champion of Ghana, Kamarudeen Boyefio.

Alex has already been to Armenia, but in 2018 locals will have the chance to support him on the boxing arena, at a match in Yerevan.