Armenia and France established diplomatic relations on February 24, 1992.
Armenia and France are bound by strong ties built on centuries-old friendship between the two peoples, based on shared values and memory.
The friendship between France and Armenia is rooted in history and symbolized and maintained notably by the presence in France of a sizable community of Armenian origin.
Well-integrated and, at the same time, deeply tied to its roots, the Armenian community of France has contributed significantly to the strengthening of the Armenian-French friendly relations.
Over the 28 years of Armenian independence, bilateral relations have most notably included the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by France in 2001 and France’s role as a co-mediator in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.
Four French Presidents of France – Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy, Francois Hollande and Emmanuel Macron – have visited Armenia.
Since 4 November 1995, France and Armenia have been linked by an intergovernmental agreement on cultural, scientific and technical cooperation. The flagship of the two countries’ bilateral cooperation is the French University in Armenia (UFAR), which takes in over 1,000 students each year for courses in law, business and management that lead to a French and Armenian dual degree, in partnership with Lyon III University.
There is extensive decentralized cooperation. Around twenty French local governments are involved in twinning schemes and cooperation projects with Armenia, in a wide range of fields (tourism, healthcare, etc).
