ArmInfo. The IT sector, which works quite successfully in Armenia, may be the first locomotive in moving towards socially responsible and ecological entrepreneurship. Resident Representative of UNDP Dmitry Mariyasin expressed this opinion in an interview with ArmInfo correspondent on the fields of the Sustainable Funding regional forum.
In this regard, he noted that it is extremely important that changes take place in the thinking of the private sector: "It is imperative that an understanding comes that focusing on social and environmental projects does not mean giving up profits. On the contrary, now all over the world, the most successful companies are building their business models not just on social responsibility, but on creating products that do not cause damage to health and the environment, do not use child labor, help to create jobs in poor areas and etc."
In addition, the UNDP Resident Representative emphasized that Armenia, taking into account the dynamic development of the economy, has the opportunity not to change anything, but to create right away. In this context, he noted that, for example, investments should be attracted to those types of energy that are greener, cleaner. Or, to develop food production, based on the principles of green agriculture, taking into account the load on pastures, the need to minimize the use of pesticides, taking into account the fact that the products grown in small volumes are of higher quality and can be sold in Armenia more expensive.
"That is, Armenia should understand that unique niches, progressive value-added businesses are an entrepreneurial segment with maximum social and environmental effect," he stressed.
The state, for its part, according to Mariyasin , should adapt the regulation, encourage those investments that have a social and environmental focus. "This is a tax policy, and assistance in the form of guarantee funds, which will allow creating a large number of investment instruments, and promoting the country, and attracting large players who should see Armenia as a potential market for green and socially responsible investments," he explained. In continuation of what has been said, the expert noted that for the time being, investors do not yet realize that Armenia is the country that, although small, is very progressive in terms of the development of green investments. "And today's forum should help send this signal," he added. According to Mariyasin, in the conditions of the dynamic development of the global market in terms of the development of green technologies and socially responsible financing, Armenia does not have time to shift to a green economy, but on the contrary, it is necessary to move ahead of the curve.
Speaking about the barriers, the permanent representative of UNDP noted that one of the main is the size of the market, which is why Armenia needs to think about regional partnerships, aggregation, create funds that will work for the region as a whole, while remaining an "anchor", actively attracting the Diaspora. In addition, as Mariyasin noted, there are uncontrolled risks, taking into account that we should work on risk management strategies, including country and geopolitical ones. <No need to be afraid to position Armenia as a country of the Silicon Valley in the region, for which green investment is one of the key priorities. It should be a clear message>, he concluded.