On November 1-2, Shahen Avakian, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia participated in the international conference of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) in Bucharest on the theme "Creation, innovation, entrepreneurship, growth and development: Women are needed!”, held under the high patronage of the President of Romania and with participation of the OIF Secretary General.

The conference was attended by the presidents and ministers of the OIF member states, UN high-level officials, heads of la Francophonie directorates, diplomats, heads of non-governmental organizations dealing with women's issues, entrepreneurs and cultural figures.

Klaus Iohannis, President of Romania, heads of other states, Ms Michaëlle Jean, Secretary General of OIF, Yannick Glemarec, Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Programme for UN Women, Nobel Peace Prize winner Ouided Bouchamaoui (Tunisia) delivered speeches during the conference. In his remarks at the official closing of the conference, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Shahen Avakian informed of the steps that are being undertaken by the executive and legislative bodies of the Republic of Armenia with regards the topic of the conference.

Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia also briefed the participants on the preparations for the 17th summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie to be held in Yerevan in October 2018 and other side events.

In Bucharest, Shahen Avakian also had a meeting with Teodor Meleșcanu, Foreign Minister of Romania, during which the sides discussed issues of bilateral interest and touched upon the steps aimed at future cooperation.