On March 17, Deputy Foreign Minister Artak Apitonian delivered remarks at the High-level Policy Segment of the UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development. This year the forum was dedicated to the Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and action and delivery on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the UNECE Region.

In his remarks Artak Apitonian underscored that from the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Armenia has been a staunch supporter of strong international cooperation, particularly highlighting the role of the UN and the WHO in coordinating the fight against this global scourge. Armenia has joined a number of international initiatives, including the COVAX facility, which can contribute to deepening cooperation between countries at all levels.

The Deputy Minister noted that on the national level, the Government of Armenia adopted more than twenty programs aimed at mitigating the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic, helping the vulnerable groups of the population and the business. 

Artak Apitonian referred to the large-scale military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan on September 27, 2020 which created new humanitarian needs in Armenia and in Nagorno-Karabakh, adding significant pressure on the socio-economic and healthcare systems which were already burdened with the existing challenges caused by the pandemic. 

He noted that notwithstanding its international obligations, Azerbaijan blocks any humanitarian access to Artsakh including for UN-led assistance missions, thus aggravating the situation on the ground also in terms of fighting the Covid-19.

The policy pursued by Azerbaijan contradicts the recent UN Security Council resolution 2565 adopted on February 26, 2021 calls for full, safe, and unhindered access, without delay, for humanitarian and medical personnel in order to facilitate COVID-19 vaccinations.

Concluding remarks, Artak Apitonian reiterated Armenia’s strong commitment to efficient, impactful, and cooperative multilateral institutions that are instrumental in the sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.