High-tech border and customs control will be implemented within the framework of TRIPP project. Pashinyan

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held an informal meeting with representatives of the information technology, artificial intelligence (AI), telecommunications, and other technology sectors. The meeting was also attended by Vice Speaker of the National Assembly Hakob Arshakyan and Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan.

The Prime Minister delivered remarks, noting that bringing together or aligning views on strategic perspectives is a good idea. According to Nikol Pashinyan, statistics clearly show the changes that have taken place in the sector compared to 2018.

“Our statistics, for example, show that compared to 2018, the number of companies in the information and technology sector in Armenia has increased more than twelvefold — that is, by about 1,225%,” the Prime Minister stated, adding that turnover has grown by 171%, meaning the sector’s revenue has nearly quadrupled, while employment in the sector has increased more than fivefold since 2018.

As for non-statistical indicators, the Prime Minister said that significant changes are taking place in the IT sector. In particular, satellite internet — Starlink services — is now operating across the entire territory of Armenia, which in turn contributes to balanced territorial development. Nikol Pashinyan also mentioned a modern supercomputer that was inaugurated two days earlier at Yerevan State University, noting that it is the first such system acquired using funds from the Republic of Armenia.

In the context of sectoral development, the Prime Minister emphasized the new strategic nature of Armenian–American relations. According to Nikol Pashinyan, high-tech border and customs control technologies will be introduced under the TRIPP project and will also be applied at other border checkpoints of the republic, including Zvartnots Airport. In this context, the Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of introducing a biometric passport system.

The head of government then spoke about the importance of implementing artificial intelligence to increase the efficiency of governance and to develop the institution of regulatory impact assessment.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the development of the technology sector is impossible without the development of the education system.

“Therefore, everything we are implementing in general education, preschool education, vocational education, higher and postgraduate education — all of this is about technologies,” Nikol Pashinyan noted.

The challenges and prospects for the development of Armenia’s technological and digital future were discussed. The meeting was organized by the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises.

Among the topics discussed were the expected AI policy, the role of artificial intelligence and high and information technologies in the state’s economic growth doctrine, measurable targets, as well as educational reforms in the sector, workforce retraining, and the development of new specialists.

Prime Minister Pashinyan answered questions from attendees, which concerned not only sectoral development but also the TRIPP project, as well as the priorities and programs of the Government of the Republic of Armenia.