The Conference of the Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) entitled "Innovations and Regional Development: Agents For Growth in Eastern Partnership Countries" was held in Yerevan, which was attended by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Development of Armenia, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister, Head of EU Delegation to Yerevan, Member of the EU Committee of Regions (CoR).

Welcoming the participants of the conference, Deputy Minister Garen Nazarian noted that in recent years Armenia has registered a considerable progress in various directions of sectoral cooperation within the framework of the EaP. In the context of the conference, he specifically highlighted Armenia's membership in "Horizon 2020" - the EU framework programme for innovation and research, as well as such important areas of sectoral cooperation as agriculture, energy, transport, public administration reforms.

Garen Nazarian touched upon the key role of regional and local authorities in exploiting the existing opportunities, linking them with development of the communities and making communities owners of those opportunities. Deputy Minister added that Armenia's cooperation with the EU is aimed at modernization and fundamental reform processes, and in order for that to succeed each and every citizen, each and every community should also take on an active role.