Honourable President,

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I appreciate the opportunity to speak at this important event to reflect on the achievements and challenges in the path of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Armenia remains strongly committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Our ambitious reform agenda places people in the centre of the Government policies and strategies. 

We place an emphasis on good governance and transparency, building representative and accountable state institutions and promoting zero tolerance against corruption. The institutional reforms have already been instrumental in attracting investments and promoting significant economic growth at 12.3 in 2022. Armenia’s progress is also reflected in a number of well-known international indexes scoring 54 points in Freedom in the World Report, 49th place in the World Press Freedom and 63rd in Transparency International’s 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Mr. President,

None of the states can achieve sustainable development unilaterally and it demands regional and international synergy. In this regard, maintaining regional peace and stability plays an instrumental role and establishing peace in the South Caucasus is an absolute priority of our Government. Unfortunately, continuous acts of aggression against the sovereign territory of Armenia, warmongering and hateful rhetoric of the highest leadership of Azerbaijan threaten the security and stability in our region, undermining Armenia’s efforts to concentrate on its sustainable development agenda. While I’m delivering my speech here 120.000 people in the South Caucasus, particularly in Nagorno-Karabakh are facing a real humanitarian crisis. 

The situation is created due to the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022, which was further consolidated through total closure of the corridor for free usage and even humanitarian aid since 15 June 2023, in blatant disregard of the international humanitarian law and the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice.  

We believe that the United Nations can and should step in to uphold its values and principles and to deliver on its mandate of ensuring international peace and security and preventing atrocity crimes. The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have a right to live in peace and dignity in the lands of their ancestors. We hope that the United Nations will consolidate the efforts of the international community for the benefit of peace, security, justice and human rights in our part of the world as well. 

Dear colleagues,

Armenia stands ready to contribute to the efforts of the international community to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and create a safer, more secure and better world for the generations to come. 

I thank you.