RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan receives delegation of German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ)
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On May 12, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan received the delegation of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), including Director of the Syrian Refugees Economic Integration in Armenia Program Hans Joachim Zinnkann and the Program’s expert Karine Simonyan. Greeting the guests, Minister Hranush Hakobyan attached importance to the programs that are being carried out in Armenia with the support of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. Issues related to the economic integration and businesses of Syrian-Armenians were discussed during the meeting.
First, the Minister emphasized that Syrian-Armenian professionals involved in different spheres can not only create competition in the local market, but can also contribute to the development of the local industry. The Minister added that the RA Ministry of Diaspora has been organizing exhibition-sales of Syrian-Armenians’ handmade items for the past five years, and Yerevan Municipality has granted spots to over two dozen Syrian masters at Vernisazh flea market in Yerevan through the mediated efforts of the RA Ministry of Diaspora.
Minister Hranush Hakobyan attached importance to the correct use of the potential of Syrian-Armenian families and the provision of support to family business plans in order to improve the social and economic conditions of Syrian-Armenian families and to empower them in Armenia. “Today, several Syrians have successful business plans in Armenia, and we need to prepare and show advertisements or short films for the public at large by not only advertising the products, but also by encouraging beginning businesspeople,” the Minister noted.
The Minister also attached importance to market studies and professional training courses in order to lead the Syrian-Armenians to the relevant spheres. She also suggested creating a training/creative center for Syrians through which Syrians making handmade items can have an opportunity to show and sell their products, as well as share their knowledge and experience with the new generation.
In his turn, Hans Joachim Zinnkann expressed gratitude to the RA Minister of Diaspora for the reception and stated that, paying heed to the decision on the creation of theme-based task forces taken during the workshop held on 24 February 2016 by the RA Ministry of Diaspora, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Armenia, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the German Society for International Cooperation and the RA Ministry of Economy have taken the initiative to create a task force that will deal with the economic integration of Syrian refugees in Armenia. Zinnkann also presented the program for support to the economic integration of Syrian refugees in Armenia that the Society launched in November 2015. Zinnkann informed that the Society, in association with public and private role-players and international beneficiaries operating in Armenia, will be holding the Economic Opportunities Week Forum for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship/Employment (www.syrarbi.am) as the first event for the integration of Syrian-Armenians into Armenian economy. The event will be launched with the direct participation of the RA Minister of Diaspora. The goal of the forum is to present the jobs existing in the public and private sectors and training opportunities, raise the level of awareness of Syrian-Armenians about business in Armenia, help them become engaged in business networks, present the products and services that Syrian-Armenians make and provide, as well as organize professional trainings and discussions that will improve the skills of the target groups and raise their level of competitiveness in the labor market.
At the end, Minister Hranush Hakobyan attached importance once again to the activities that the German Society for International Cooperation is carrying out in Armenia and voiced hope that the cooperation with the Society would be ongoing and would further expand in the years to come.