Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister of State for Tourism, French Nationals Abroad and Francophonie, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited Yerevan on November 17 and 28 accompanied by Kristina Aznavour, CEO of the Aznavour Foundation, and. Youri Djorkaeff, whom President Macron appointed to mobilize French aid for Armenia.
This visit was in line with the humanitarian effort instituted by President Macron and Foreign Minister Le Drian for the population affected by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and was coordinated by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ Crisis and Support Center.
The delegation led by the Minister of State arrived aboard an aircraft leased by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs that carried donations collected by the Aznavour Foundation and humanitarian cargo supplied by humanitarian organizations and corporate foundations. This flight followed an initial cargo flight that arrived in Yerevan on November 22 carrying official donations of emergency medical equipment, including a Mobile Medical Station capable of serving 500 people, blankets, and hygiene kits. Mr. Lemoyne delivered these donations in the presence of Armenian Health Minister Arsen Torosyan. He visited sites that receive French aid, including two hospitals that care for seriously wounded patients and a city hall that welcomes people who had to flee the conflict.
Mr. Lemoyne was hosted by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan. He assured his interlocutors of France’s determination to work actively in support of a negotiated settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in its capacity as Co-Chair of the Minsk Group. He was also welcomed at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin by the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, to whom he reaffirmed France’s commitment to protecting the historic and religious heritage of the region, on which it works with UNESCO.