The European Union has initiated the EU for Business Week meetings in Armenia in an effort to promote economic growth in the country.
At a news conference on Monday, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski said they seek to make the country a center of EU initiatives.
“For the European Union, this week is one of the most important weeks in our annual activities. The European Union puts in the center of activities support to economic growth in the neighborhood countries. We believe that economic resilience is something which is the most important thing for us, for the European Union, and also for our partners, for countries like Armenia. Therefore, we pay particular attention to supporting economic development, to offering the best possibilities for cooperation, both regionally and also with the European Union,” he said.
The ambassador added that they are planning special events devoted to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the East and West annual partner conference, and the official launch of the project SMEDA (Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authorities). On the 26th and 27th of October, there will be the high-level conference on sustainable development in Eastern Partnership countries, Mr Switalski said.
He expressed his gratitude to the Armenian Government for assisting the EU Delegation in conducting the Business Week. “We, as the European Union, stand ready to support the Armenian Government in its efforts to implement reforms, to conduct successful transformations [to promote] a more efficient, more productive economy in this country,” he said, noting that SME’s account for 13% of employment and GDP in Armenia (as opposed to the 60%-70% in the European Union).
Ambassador Świtalski noted that more foreign investors could facilitate economic growth in the country. In this respect, he said, a new framework agreement between
Armenia and the European Union (EU) would pave way to more investments.
Mr Świtalski said he is sure Armenia is on the right way to cooperation in SME development.