On November 13, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan received UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative for the Republic of Armenia Bradley Busetto.

The minister attached importance to the collaboration between the UNDP and the Ministry of Diaspora and mentioned that the Ministry of Diaspora has been carrying out programs with the UN House in Armenia since the very first days of the establishment of the ministry.

The minister also touched upon the joint programs, including the Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN), Coordination of the Civic Education Center and Activities for the Diaspora and Dissemination of Information About Them, Campaign for Raising Public Awareness of the Activities of the Ministry of Diaspora, Preparation of the Website of the Ministry of Diaspora, as well as other joint programs.

Hranush Hakobyan especially praised the release of the English and Armenian versions of the Handbook for Armenians Abroad, which is aimed at analyzing the laws of the Republic of Armenia on education, culture, labor, property rights and several other sectors and making them available to Armenians abroad, as well as allowing Armenians abroad to participate in and provide assistance to the Homeland’s advancement.

Talking about the current joint programs, the minister praised the active cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Armenia and the United Nations World Food Programme aimed at providing assistance to the Syrian-Armenians who have moved to Armenia.

The RA Minister of Diaspora introduced the UNDP Resident Representative to the housing project for the construction of the “New Aleppo” District for Syrian-Armenians.

Expressing gratitude for the cordial reception, UN Resident Coordinator for the Republic of Armenia Bradley Busetto attached importance to the partnership with the Ministry of Diaspora and particularly the first aid that has been provided to Syrian-Armenians having moved to Armenia as a result of the civil war in Syria.

Bradley Busetto expressed certainty that the above mentioned and other joint programs will be ongoing since all of them have been carried out successfully.

The sides also mentioned the importance of the media’s wider coverage of the joint efforts of the UN organizations and the RA Ministry of Diaspora.