Minister of High-Tech Industry of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan today had a video call with Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin.
During the video call, the parties discussed the joint efforts aimed at overcoming the situation created in Armenia as a result of the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the support that the EU is providing to Armenia. They attached importance to the role and significance of high technologies in the context of economic development, the potential for development of the sector, the longstanding experience of cooperation between the EU and Armenia and the established relations, etc.
EU Ambassador Wiktorin asked about the programs that the Ministry of High Technologies is carrying out for digitization and the development of high technologies and reaffirmed the opportunities for continuity of partnership in this context.
Arshakyan presented the steps that the government and particularly the ministry are taking to neutralize the economic consequences of the novel coronavirus and emphasized the 17th state support program which is being carried out to mitigate the economic consequences of the coronavirus for the IT sector. One of the programs envisages providing 2,000 citizens with basic knowledge of the basics of programming, especially those who are in vulnerable groups as a result of the spread of the coronavirus and have lost their jobs.
Wiktorin highly appreciated the government’s efforts to solve the social, economic and health-related issues caused as a result of the spread of the novel coronavirus, including the technical and financial assistance that is being provided to startups and small and medium-sized IT companies.
From the perspective of overcoming the crisis through combined efforts, Wiktorin and Arshakyan expressed willingness to collaborate through the EU4Business Technology Development and the Eastern Partnership’s EU4Digital & Cybersecurity Initiatives programs. Both Wiktorin and Arshakyan attached importance to the need to create the EU-TUMO joint center from the perspective of the enhancement of digital skills and increase of competition.