On June 17, 2021, the RA Deputy Minister of Economy Arman Khojoyan received Gagik Makaryan, the Chairman of the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia (RUEA), to discuss the new concept on ensuring RA food security. During the meeting, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the RA Ministry of Economy and RUEA to develop a new concept-paper on ensuring food security in the Republic of Armenia.

At the beginning of the meeting the parties discussed a number of issues related to elaboration of the concept-paper and outlined actions envisaged within the framework of the concept-paper.

Both sides stressed the importance of interconnected work of state bodies to ensure food security, as well as inclusive economic growth, and the private sector’s active involvement in these processes.

A separate reference was made to the sector’s modernization, refinement of the existing state support mechanisms and improvement of the toolkit, as well as issues of increasing the sector’s attractiveness for young professionals.

According to the document, the parties agreed to form a joint working group to carry out the mentioned works in June-October of the current year and design the structure of the new concept-paper. In addition, RUEA will assist the Ministry in developing a new action plan based on the concept-paper by providing necessary recommendations. The parties will hold necessary discussions with stakeholders on the draft of the new concept-paper and the action plan.

The following principles served as basis for cooperation: directing the actions taken to improve the food security system and solve common problems, prioritizing the state-local self-governance-private sector cooperation in initiatives, and prioritizing those initiatives which provide maximum benefits to business entities and wider groups of population operating in their sectors.