More than 70% of participants in the iGorts program have ultimately repatriated to Armenia, organizers told Armenpress.

iGorts invites Diaspora Armenian professionals to work in Armenia’s public sector and government. The program is run by the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs.

Since its launch in 2020, more than 300 Diaspora Armenians have participated, said iGorts project leader Anna Mheryan.

The program offers Diaspora professionals a unique opportunity to engage in Armenia’s public administration system and contribute their expertise.

“The 7th round of the program will launch in September this year. From January 26 to March 13, we received around 200 applications from 30 countries. Participants who pass the first stage will be invited to interviews, after which selected candidates will begin work in Armenia’s public sector starting September 1,” Mheryan said on the Armenpress Podcast.

Participants are selected based on the needs identified by government agencies, with 35 candidates to be chosen this year. Applicants must also have higher education and at least five years of professional experience.

Selected specialists work in the public sector for one year, applying their expertise to help improve key sectors and contribute to policy and program development.

Mheryan highlighted the program’s high repatriation rate as one of its main achievements.

“Since 2020, around 300 participants have taken part in the program, 73% of whom have repatriated. Some have returned with their families and continued working in state institutions after passing civil service exams. Others have launched businesses and now cooperate with the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs and other institutions,” she said.

She added that many participants have relocated with their families and are now building their lives in Armenia, while others have even formed new families and settled in the country through the program.

Mheryan noted strong interest in the initiative, pointing out that participants often take part in multiple programs run by the office, including “Step Toward Home,” “Diaspora Youth Ambassador,” and “iGorts.”

“The main goal of the High Commissioner’s Office is repatriation, and all our programs are designed with that objective in mind. While participants are in Armenia, we introduce them to the country, its landmarks, and opportunities in higher education and the job market, encouraging engagement across different age groups,” she said.

According to Mheryan, participants are primarily motivated by patriotism, as well as a desire to understand Armenia’s public system from within and contribute to its development.

Participants in the iGorts program receive health insurance, round-trip airfare, and a monthly stipend of 336,000 AMD to cover living expenses throughout the fellowship.

The Armenian figure skating pair Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin finished 8th at the 2026 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Prague with a score of 123.34 after the free program.

A total of 20 pairs competed in the free program.

Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin claimed Germany’s figure skating world title with a total score of 228.33.

Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava took second place, while Canadians Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud finished third.

Armenian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Abisoghomonyan participated in a ministerial meeting held within the framework of the Seventh Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership in Andorra.

The ministry stated that Abisoghomonyan delivered remarks at the ministerial on “Environmental Safety in Mountainous Regions: Strengthening Resilience, Cooperation, and Global Sustainability.”

In his speech, the Deputy Minister addressed the numerous global challenges faced by mountain ecosystems and emphasized the vital importance of mountainous regions for ensuring global sustainability, resilience, climate action, and sustainable development. He highlighted the need to integrate the priorities and needs of mountain countries into global discussions on environmental issues.

The Deputy Minister also noted that climate change and natural disasters recognize no borders and stressed the necessity of cross-border cooperation to strengthen trust, prevent tensions over resources, and enhance the resilience and safety of mountain communities.

In this context, he reaffirmed Armenia’s position that even amid crises and tensions, it is essential to continue implementing measures aimed at building trust and addressing shared challenges such as forest fires, floods, and extreme weather events.

Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Abisoghomonyan further drew the audience’s attention to the 17th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, to be held in Armenia in 2026, presenting Armenia’s vision and priorities for the event.

The meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, a key governing body of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), has kicked off in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

Armenia, an EAEU member, is represented at the event by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan.

The Prime Ministers of the other EAEU member states – Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan – are in attendance.

Representatives from Cuba, Iran, and Uzbekistan are participating as observers, while Tajikistan’s Prime Minister has been invited as a guest.

Host Kazakhstan is currently holding the rotating chairmanship of the EAEU governing bodies.

The agenda of the meeting includes issues related to deepening integration cooperation among the EAEU member states, with a focus on strengthening intra-union collaboration in key sectors, improving customs administration, promoting industrial cooperation, developing an integrated information system, protecting consumers, and monitoring the macroeconomic situation of the five member countries, according to Russia’s TASS news agency. 

It is noted that the participants will particularly focus on cooperation in the industrial sector.

Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States, Narek Mkrtchyan, held a meeting with Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

During the meeting, a number of priorities in the fields of communications and security were discussed, particularly in the context of hybrid threats, countering disinformation, and related issues, the embassy said in a readout. 

Ambassador Mkrtchyan emphasized the FCC’s expertise in these areas and highlighted the need for cooperation, taking into account Armenia’s potential in this sector and the priorities set for infrastructure and technological development.Opportunities for exchanging best practices in communications, conducting sectoral visits, and institutionalizing cooperation were also considered.

The Georgian service of the Sputnik news agency reported that Armenia has requested Georgian authorities to relocate by a few kilometers a 5.5-kilometer section of the gas pipeline running from Georgia to Armenia which transports Russian gas. 

According to Sputnik, Armenia requested the relocation because the Armenian section of the pipeline is located in the tri-border area of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, which was mined in the 1990s.

“Based on the fact that it is impossible to maintain minimum safety standards and carry out repair work in this section, it has been decided to remove the problematic segment of the gas pipeline from the mined area and construct a new pipeline at a safe distance,” the report states.

It is noted that the pipeline will be relocated by several kilometers and connected to a new section constructed by Armenia.

Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, in his speech at the meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, lauded Azerbaijan’s lifting of the ban on transit shipments to Armenia as a significant development that opens prospects for utilizing the region’s full potential and contributing to the growth of mutual trade.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that diversifying transport and logistics infrastructure in the South Caucasus will significantly boost foreign trade.

“In this context, the recent removal of transit barriers through Azerbaijan to Armenia is particularly significant for us, as it opens up prospects for unlocking the region’s full potential and promoting mutual trade growth,” Grigoryan noted, according to TASS news agency. 

He also stated that, given economic instability and the transformation of global trade, it is important to regularly analyze the EAEU’s external economic activities.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, coordinated monitoring will not only identify emerging imbalances in a timely manner but also develop effective measures to protect the domestic market and local producers.

Grigoryan emphasized the effectiveness of cooperation between the customs services of EAEU member states and the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) in monitoring the declaration of high-tax-potential goods, which directly affects customs valuation and budget revenues.

“It is also important that the harmonization of approaches and rules for applying national risk management systems takes into account the sovereign interests of EAEU member states,” he added.

He described the improvement of cooperation mechanisms in consumer protection—enshrined in the joint action plan of EAEU member states—as promising.

He also noted that implementing the plan will not only become a key tool for managing trust between consumers and businesses—particularly relevant amid the rapid growth of e-commerce—but will also enhance market transparency, increase consumer awareness, and create a level playing field for economic operators.

The meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, a key governing body of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), kicked off in Shymkent, Kazakhstan on March 27. 

President of the European Council António Costa has described Armenia as a close EU partner as the sides are preparing for their first-ever bilateral summit.

The inaugural EU–Armenia summit will take place on 4-5 May in Yerevan, Costa reminded in a post on X.

“I look forward to meeting with PM Nikol Pashinyan. Armenia is a close EU partner, and we look forward to deepening this relationship. We are united by shared values and a commitment to international law and the rules-based international order,” he said.

The Armenian Prime Minister also mentioned the inaugural summit on X.

“I look forward to welcoming European Council President António Costa and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. We are committed to further strengthening Armenia-EU partnership, guided by our Strategic Agenda,” Pashinyan said.

The President of the European Council, António Costa, together with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will represent the EU at the EU-Armenia summit taking place in Yerevan on 4 and 5 May 2026.

Ahead of the summit, President Costa and President von der Leyen will attend the European Political Community meeting, also taking place in Yerevan on 4 May 2026.

The EU-Armenia summit will focus on strengthening bilateral relations in particular connectivity in energy, transport and digital. Leaders will also discuss the progress related to ensuring peace, security, connectivity and prosperity in the South Caucasus, as well as current global challenges.

The NATO Secretary General’s 2025 Annual Report highlighted the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process.

“The South Caucasus is important for NATO’s security, especially as the region continues to feel the impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In 2025, NATO welcomed meaningful progress towards peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and acknowledged the United States’ continued investment in the peace process. The initialling of the August peace deal was a major step towards normalisation and regional security, and NATO stands ready to deepen dialogue and cooperation with both countries,” the report says.

The report also mentions that Armenia is among the countries which received active support under the NATO Building Integrity Programme. “In 2025, the Programme provided significant support to Ukraine, focused on NATO-Ukraine interoperability and defence procurement. Active support was also provided to Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Georgia, Iraq, Jordan, the Republic of Moldova and Tunisia.”

The draft of the proposed new constitution is still under discussion, and there is no final text yet, according to Member of Parliament Artur Hovhannisyan, Secretary of the ruling Civil Contract faction.

Hovhannisyan was asked at a press briefing whether the draft has been discussed within the parliamentary majority and whether a preamble has been developed.

“The text of the new Constitution is still under discussion. Yes, it is also being discussed with the parliamentary faction. One meeting has already taken place,” he said.

According to the lawmaker, there are currently working documents that are not yet for public release.

“When we reach the stage where discussions are complete and a text is ready for publication, that publication will take place,” Hovhannisyan noted.

He added that after the text is published, discussions will continue publicly, involving experts, politicians, and civil society.

Referring to various reports that have appeared in the media, Hovhannisyan urged citizens not to be influenced by them and to follow only official announcements.

“What exists now are working documents. I ask our citizens not to be swayed by various publications, but to follow official communications,” he emphasized.

Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan said last week that the initial March timeframe for releasing the text of the proposed new constitution will be revised amid ongoing discussions.

She also said that the proposed text, developed to replace the current Constitution via referendum, is ready and will be discussed at the ruling Civil Contract party’s board meeting, as well as by its parliamentary faction.

Speaking to reporters last week, Galyan was asked whether the reference to the Declaration of Independence in the current Constitution’s preamble has been removed in the new text—a move endorsed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who cited its “conflict logic.” Galyan said the new text does not include a preamble, and discussions are ongoing.