Armenia today has turned into a country offering sophisticated turnkey technological solutions and services, taking up its specific niche on the mainstream global ICT map.
President Serzh Sargsyan on Tuesday stated the above-said in his address at the UAE-Armenia Investment Forum in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“I am extremely delighted, and it is also of symbolic significance that only four months after my previous official visit I am hosted once again at this friendly land,” Sargsyan noted. “I salute you cordially in this wonderful hall: such an exceptionally representative event comes to attest to the mutual desire and commitment of the highest authorities of our countries to elevate to a qualitatively new level the economic relations between Armenia and UAE. Only months ago, this was merely an idea, whereas today it has become a reality, of which we expect a lot. I would like to express my particular gratitude to the authorities of the United Arab Emirates and especially to the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, His Highness Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for bringing this idea to life.
“Dear Colleagues,
“The Armenian-Arab friendship withstood the test of time and, in our days it has become a solid foundation for the relations between Armenia and many Arab states.
“It was on this foundation; during the reign of the blessed memory Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the United Emirates, that the official cooperation between the Armenia and the United Arab Emirates took root. And today it is our wish and also our duty to strengthen and deepen the precious legacy we received.
“Throughout its history Armenia, was at the crossroads of the East and the West, and because of that the Armenian people were recognizable in both these worlds. At the same time the East and the West had mingled on our soil which is reflected in the mindset and lifestyle of our nation. This means that if you come to Armenia, you will not only discover the environment conducive for doing business, but will also find familiar features the most characteristic of which, perhaps, is traditional Armenian hospitality and warmth, so typical for our fraternal Arab people as well.
“Naturally, some of you have your own perception of Armenia, though many yet have to discover it, especially as a country with economic potential. But before you do, let me highlight some aspects of doing business in Armenia, some important prerequisites from the perspective of a mutually beneficial partnership.
“It is incontestable that perhaps the most crucial factor for the mutually beneficial partnership is trust. In this rapidly changing competitive world, long-term partnerships may be forged and investments may be made only if there exist the atmosphere of trust. This is something we do share in earnest. Our peoples know each other historically, and by virtue of history having lived side by side with the Arab people and being exposed to the Arab civilization, we appreciate the value of trust very well.
“Despite the hard time that befell upon us throughout our history, we never gave in, spread all over the world and became successful businessmen. We are not intimidated by constraints imposed upon us, and we do our best to turn them into competitive advantages. Having no fossil fuel, we develop human resources; subjected to a double blockade, we build integration bridges; being a landlocked country, we open up to the world through our Armenian communities spread all over the world, we communicate setting up alternative ways and taking advantage of the state of the art technology.
“This is best testified to by the fact that Armenia today has turned into a country offering sophisticated turnkey technological solutions and services, taking up its specific niche on the mainstream global ICT map. You have the opportunity to see for yourself through your own experience that Armenia has created a conducive framework for doing business and a free investment environment protected by law.
“This is attested to by the World Bank 2017 Doing Business Report in which Armenia ranks the 38th among 190 countries; moreover, it ranks the 9th with regard to simplicity of starting a business. As for the economic freedom indicator, this year marked unprecedented progress: our country currently is the 33rd, which means we have improved our standing over last year by 21 notches.
“Our government has created investment packages which I keep in the focus of my immediate attention. We shall welcome and support investors from the United Arab Emirates in various sectors of the Armenia economy.
“There are great opportunities for cooperation in agriculture and food processing.”
