On November 1st, Deputy Foreign Minister Ruben Rubinyan took part in the Partnerships in Innovation for Development regional workshop.

The workshop was organized by the UNDP Armenian office and the Russia-UNDP Trust Fund for Development. Representatives from the Fund’s steering committee as well as representatives from the UNDP offices in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

In his speech Rubinyan emphasized the impact of innovation on development and its important role in the process. The Deputy Foreign Minister noted that innovative approaches and solutions are especially important for Armenia, considering the scarcity of natural resources in the country and the region’s unique characteristics. Rubinyan also stressed that innovation, innovative solutions and information technologies are key priorities on the government’s agenda.

The Deputy Foreign Minister mentioned the long traditions of information technology and innovation in Armenia, noting that these traditions have gained new impetus with the creation of the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies, the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST), the Children of Armenia Fund etc.