On July 17, at the UN Headquarters Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Foreign Minister of Armenia, chaired "Innovation, Impact Investment and the SDGs - Tools for Advancing Reforms" High-Level Panel organized by the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations, UN Development Program (UNDP) and the Permanent Mission of the International Organization of La Francophonie to UN. Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, the Foreign Minister, Hakob Arshakyan, Deputy Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies, Babken Ter-Grigoryan, Deputy Minister of Diaspora, Shombi Sharp, the UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia and Armine Saidi, the Chief Executive Officer of “Wicastr” were the speakers of the Panel.

The event was dedicated to Armenia's experience in implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on innovation and partnership with the private sector. In the context of the Velvet Revolution in our country, the panelists presented the agenda of the new government reforms and the steps being taken towards its implementation.

In his remarks, Foreign Minister of Armenia underscored that Armenia pays great importance to the innovative sector in terms of elaborating the best solutions for development programs through consolidating various stakeholders. Foreign Minister highly assessed Armenia's continuous and fruitful cooperation with the United Nations structures aimed at the nationalization of Sustainable Development Goals. He also highlighted the close cooperation with the United Nations in promoting new ideas and creativity, emphasizing our country’s interests in its further deepening.

Touching upon the sustainable development activities within the framework of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Minister mentioned that it is a privilege for Armenia to be a part of the large family of La Francophonie and to establish closer cooperation in the spheres of education, culture, high technologies, innovations, and others.

In conclusion, Foreign Minister noted that Armenia attaches importance to innovation, which gives opportunity to create and materialize new ideas by inputting them in the socio-economic development of our country. In case of Armenia some important initiatives are already in action and have registered significant progress in that direction. Those are TUMO, SMART Center, Dasaran.am and others whose activities were also showcased at UN Headquarters last year.

The government strongly encourages these initiatives. The whole concept of Sustainable Development Goals is built on innovative, creative ideas, ensuring sustainable development by investing in countries. "This is what we are aiming at," the Foreign Minister emphasized.