The ministers discussed prospects for expanding trade, economic and business cooperation between Armenia and Indonesia, with a particular focus on industrial development, technology exchange and closer cooperation in high value-added manufacturing.

Papoyan proposed exploring opportunities for collaboration in the development of industrial zones, investment projects and joint manufacturing initiatives.

The meeting also touched upon the Armenian government’s Crossroads of Peace initiative. Papoyan noted that its implementation would strengthen regional connectivity, facilitate cargo transportation and create new opportunities for trade, investment and industrial cooperation.

According to the regulations, individuals transporting phytosanitary products for personal use may carry no more than 5 kilograms in total.

The Food Safety Inspectorate has urged businesses and citizens to organize exports strictly in line with the established requirements and to clarify the phytosanitary regulations applicable to the products they intend to export before shipment.

The Inspectorate said it will continue to carry out consistent oversight and provide the necessary guidance to exporters to ensure full compliance with phytosanitary safety standards and export requirements.

An official ceremony marking the inauguration of the new route was held at Zvartnots International Airport on July 3.

The new service provides passengers with a convenient non-stop connection between Armenia’s capital and Kazan, one of Russia’s major cities, creating additional travel opportunities for both business and leisure travelers.

Regular flights on the Yerevan–Kazan–Yerevan route will operate twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays.

Tickets are available through the airline’s official website and the FLYONE mobile application.

In a congratulatory message, el-Sisi said the election outcome reflects the confidence of the Armenian people in Pashinyan’s leadership and vision for the country’s future.

“I am pleased to extend my sincere congratulations to Your Excellency on your party’s victory in the parliamentary elections. This victory reflects the confidence of the friendly Armenian people in your leadership and your vision as you move forward in fulfilling their aspirations for development, stability and prosperity,” the Egyptian president said.

El-Sisi wished Pashinyan continued success in leading Armenia toward further progress and prosperity.

The Egyptian leader also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Armenia across various sectors, describing the relationship as one rooted in deep historical ties and a special bond of friendship.

“Egypt is proud of the deep-rooted historical relations and the special bonds of friendship that unite our two countries. We remain committed to continuing our joint efforts to elevate bilateral cooperation in various fields and build on the growing positive momentum in our relations for the benefit of our two friendly peoples,” he said.

Recalling his visit to Armenia in January 2023, el-Sisi said the outcomes reflected the shared political will of both countries to strengthen their partnership and open new avenues for cooperation. He also referred to Pashinyan’s visit to Egypt in March 2024, describing it as an important opportunity to review progress in bilateral cooperation and coordinate on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The Egyptian president also praised the role of Egypt’s Armenian community, describing it as an important cultural and human bridge linking the two friendly nations.

El-Sisi said he looks forward to continuing close cooperation and coordination with Armenia to further strengthen bilateral relations and promote the prosperity of both countries.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by H.E. Dr. Nariman Al Mulla, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia; Eng. Ahmed Al Shamsi, Vice Chairman of the Emarat Board and Group CEO at Trojan Construction Holding; and Burhan Al Hashemi, CEO of Emarat, Eduard Sukiasyan, Chairman of the Board of SIL Capital, and Yeghisabet Movsisyan, CEO of SIL Capital, alongside senior executives from Emarat and representatives from the energy and business sectors in both countries.

The opening of the station follows the strategic partnership signed last year between Emarat and MegaTrade, one of Armenia’s leading fuel and energy companies and part of the SIL Capital portfolio. The station marks the first presence of the Emarat brand in Armenia, building on the company’s operational expertise and proven business model in regional markets. It also strengthens Emarat’s ability to build sustainable partnerships and expand its presence across regional and international markets.

Emarat and MegaTrade plan to launch an integrated network of service stations across Armenia in the next phase as part of a phased expansion plan. All stations will operate in line with Emarat’s global operational standards, providing high-quality fuel, adhering to leading health, safety and environmental practices, and delivering an integrated customer experience that includes fuelling services, retail stores and ancillary services.

The project is based on a scalable operating model designed to support sustainable growth, raise standards across Armenia’s fuel and energy sector, enhance operational efficiency, and bring Emirati expertise to international markets.

H.E. Dr. Nariman Al Mulla, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia, said, “Emarat’s expansion into the Armenian market reflects the position UAE national companies have reached and their ability to compete regionally and internationally. This step also embodies the depth of economic relations between the UAE and Armenia, while contributing to the transfer of Emarat’s advanced model in service station management and the energy sector to the Armenian market.”

She added, “The economic agreements between the two countries provide a supportive environment for the growth of UAE companies, while strengthening mutual investments and enabling the transfer of Emirati expertise in the energy sector to international markets, in line with the UAE’s economic development objectives.”

Burhan Al Hashemi, CEO of Emarat, said, “The opening of the company’s first service station in Yerevan represents a new strategic milestone in Emarat’s global expansion journey, reflecting the success of its business model, which is built on long-term partnerships and the transfer of Emirati expertise to promising markets.”

He further said, “This expansion comes as part of Emarat’s vision to strengthen its presence in global markets as a key pillar of its growth strategy. Through this step, we continue to bring our global standards in fuel quality, operational excellence and customer experience to new markets, enhancing the added value delivered by the Emarat brand. We look forward to expanding our network of stations in Armenia in cooperation with our partners, further strengthening the global presence of the Emarat brand and reaffirming its ability to deliver value across different markets.”

Eduard Sukiasyan, Chairman of SIL Capital and shareholder of MegaTrade, said, “Choosing Emarat Petroleum Company as a strategic partner reflects its established expertise in managing service stations in accordance with the highest international standards. We are confident that this partnership will contribute to setting new benchmarks for Armenia’s energy sector and provide consumers with an integrated experience built on quality, efficiency and innovation.”

The market entry comes amid growing economic momentum between the UAE and Armenia, with non-oil bilateral trade reaching record levels in recent years. It also creates further opportunities for UAE companies in promising international markets, while supporting the UAE’s economic diversification objectives and strengthening its global investment presence.

The meeting was also attended by the Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Vassilis Maragos.

During the meeting, Ambassador Maragos congratulated Prime Minister Pashinyan on the outcome of Armenia’s nationwide parliamentary elections held on June 7, 2026. He reaffirmed the European Union’s readiness to continue close cooperation with Armenia in support of democratic values, stability and sustainable development.

Prime Minister Pashinyan thanked the European Union and its member states for their congratulations and assessments following the elections. He highlighted the importance of the EU’s continued support for Armenia’s democratic processes and reform agenda.

The sides discussed key issues on the Armenia-EU partnership agenda, including the implementation of reforms, strengthening the rule of law, expanding economic cooperation, developing infrastructure, enhancing energy resilience, and promoting regional stability and peace.

They also exchanged views on further steps to deepen Armenia-EU relations, emphasizing the importance of maintaining high-level political dialogue and expanding cooperation across all areas of mutual interest.

The event, organized by the Embassy of Armenia in the Netherlands as part of the officials’ working visit, brought together representatives of the Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Agriculture, Armenian and Dutch flower producers, logistics and brokerage companies, as well as representatives of the Royal FloraHolland flower auction.

Participants emphasized the importance of establishing long-term, mutually beneficial cooperation and involving as many greenhouse farms as possible in export processes. They also discussed government support programs aimed at developing the sector and the assistance available to businesses.

On June 26, Kostanyan and Khojoyan visited the headquarters of Royal FloraHolland and two of the Netherlands’ largest flower-producing companies. The visit focused on familiarizing the Armenian delegation with flower auction procedures and exploring opportunities to expand cooperation between Armenian companies and Dutch partners.

The move effectively halts exports of all Armenian fish products to the Russian market.

Rosselkhoznadzor recalled that, following the detection of what it described as systemic violations, it had previously requested the Armenian authorities to temporarily suspend the certification of all fish products, with the exception of two companies that had directly participated in an inspection—MF Export LLC and Invest Plus LLC. Those companies had initially been allowed to continue exports under an enhanced laboratory testing regime.

According to the agency, a preliminary report was subsequently prepared following an analysis of inspection materials. Pending the elimination of the identified violations and the submission of the required supporting documentation, Rosselkhoznadzor decided to temporarily suspend the certification of products from the two remaining enterprises as well.

The Russian watchdog said it continues to work with the Armenian authorities to ensure the safety of fish and fish products intended for export to the Russian market.

The agreement aims to liberalize trade in services and investment between the two countries by removing mutual barriers, improving economic efficiency, and creating favorable conditions for expanding economic cooperation and mutual benefits. It is also expected to stimulate bilateral economic ties, open new markets for businesses, and encourage investment through provisions on investment promotion and mutual protection.

The agreement contains separate chapters covering trade in services, investment, dispute settlement, and transparency. It also includes annexes specifying service sectors in which both sides are prepared to offer commitments beyond those undertaken under their World Trade Organization obligations.

Under the agreement, Armenia will provide preferential access to Emirati service suppliers in agriculture, hunting and forestry-related services, scientific and technical engineering consultancy, healthcare, education, environmental, and postal services.

In turn, the UAE will grant Armenian service providers preferences in computer services, scientific and technical consulting, equipment repair, cartography, and telecommunications. The agreement also introduces simplified procedures for the provision of legal, construction, accounting, and auditing services.

The draft amendments to the Law on Electronic Communications and related legislation were approved at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

According to the government, the absence of an IMEI control system in Armenia has enabled the circulation of mobile phones with undeclared, counterfeit or altered IMEI codes, resulting in tax losses, distorted market competition, and increased technical and security risks.

The proposed legislation seeks to establish a comprehensive registration and traceability system for imported mobile phones in line with international best practices. The unified IMEI system will integrate customs data, mobile operators’ activation records and international databases, allowing only legally imported mobile devices to be activated on Armenian networks.

The government says the new mechanism will help reduce illegal trade, strengthen state oversight and improve public security. The proposed regulations also предусматривают mandatory IMEI registration at the time of legal importation and introduce restrictions on IMEI code duplication, modification and the activation of mobile devices that have not cleared customs.

The initiative is also expected to facilitate the participation of Armenia’s mobile network operators in international IMEI databases that track global fraud involving mobile devices.

Commenting on the bill, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the mobile phone market remains one of the country’s largest shadow sectors.

“The mobile phone market is the largest shadow market, and despite everything we do, it continues to operate,” Pashinyan said. “These solutions have long existed around the world, and our political position is that the era of the black market for mobile phones is coming to an end. In the Republic of Armenia, no phone that cannot be verified as having been imported legally will be able to operate.”

Pashinyan noted that discussions on the initiative had been underway for about a year and a half, adding that Armenia needed to adopt “radical, standardized and civilized solutions” to address the issue while continuing enforcement efforts against illegal trade.