On April 22, 2021, the RA Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to the Republic of Armenia Alison LeClaire.

During the meeting, the interlocutors attributed importance to the Armenian-Canadian cooperation and possible directions of further cooperation were outlined. The following areas of cooperation were singled out: trade and investments, industry, high technologies, education, and tourism. The Minister expressed confidence that the Armenian-Canadian economic relations have a great potential for intensification and development.

The possibilities of exporting Armenian products (in particular, solar panels and alcoholic beverages) to Canada were discussed. The Minister attributed importance to opportunities of establishing business relations with leading Canadian cannabis-producing companies, emphasizing that Armenia has an attractive environment for doing business, taking into account the country’s climate conditions and qualified workforce. In addition, Canadian investors can take advantage of the industrial zones currently under construction in Armenia to facilitate the relocation of their production branches to Armenia, as well as to obtain no-barrier access to the EEU market.

Vahan Kerobyan emphasized the fundamental importance of education in the economic development of the country. Activities are continuously underway to achieve this goal. Ambassador LeClaire and Minister Kerobyan emphasized the implementation of joint educational and professional development programs.

The interlocutors singled out programs on exchange of experience in the spheres of  financial services provision and agriculture.

The Minister expressed his readiness to support Canadian financial institutions, banks, particularly venture funds, to be based in Armenia, emphasizing that Armenia has one of the most transparent and reliable financial systems in the region, due to which a number of leading international banks have been operating in Armenia for many years.

Issues of organizing business meetings with participation of the private sector representatives of the two countries were also discussed during the meeting. In this regard, the Minister proposed to organize an Armenian-Canadian business forum in the second half of 2021.