Friday, February 3 2023 14:53

ArmInfo.RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took part in the extended-format session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Almaty. The event was attended by the  Heads of Government of EAEU countries, as well as the prime minister  of Uzbekistan and the diplomatic representative of Cuba in the Union.

As the press service of the RA PM reports, at the session, Prime  Minister Pashinyan made a speech, in which he specifically noted:   "Dear Heads of Government, Dear members of delegations, I am pleased  to welcome the participants and guests of this year's first session  of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council.  Let me start my speech  with words of gratitude to Alikhan Smailov for the invitation and for  organizing today's meeting at a high level.  Taking this opportunity,  I want to wish the presiding party and personally to Mikhail  Mishustin fruitful work and success in the implementation of the  priority directions outlined by the Russian presidency.  I sincerely  welcome the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla  Aripov and the honorable representative of Cuba, confirm my readiness  to develop effective cooperation with the observer states.  

Before moving on to the issues of today's agenda, I would like to  note that despite the geopolitical tension, mutual trade in the Union  continues to demonstrate positive dynamics. The trade turnover  between Armenia and the EAEU states in January-November 2022  increased by more than 90% compared to the same period of 2021 and  amounted to 4.6 billion US dollars. At the same time, import by  country of origin of goods increased by more than 50%.  Dear  colleagues, For the further development of the Union, we need to  continue systematic and consistent work based on a solid foundation  of internal capacities and resources aimed at ensuring economic  development, increasing the competitiveness of national economies and  the well-being of our citizens.  To achieve these goals, it is  important to create favorable conditions for business, to work on  eliminating barriers, to increase cooperation in the field of  entrepreneurship.  Of course, measures aimed at supporting producers  at all stages of production still have a decisive role.  In this  context, I would like to note the importance of speedy development  and adoption of legal acts aimed at introducing mechanisms for  financial support of industrial cooperative projects with integration  potential.  The development of this direction, according to our  estimates, will allow industrialists to concentrate their efforts on  their own production in such branches of economy as mechanical  engineering, radio electronics, aircraft constructi

on, software production, pharmaceutical and medical industry.  The  formation of the competitive industry of the Union is completely  determined by the level of technological independence and the  dynamics of the introduction of new technologies. These are the  undisputed priorities of the EAEU in the near and medium term.   Strengthening the technological independence of EAEU member states is  directly dependent on the transition to a new technological system  and cannot be implemented all at once. It requires defining strategy,  stages, expenditures that depend on the level of technological  development of EAEU industries and, as a result, the transition will  require the modernization of existing productions, as well as the  creation of new innovative sectors of industry.  It is quite obvious  that for these purposes, a technological forecasting system should be  established in the Union for the timely identification of the most  promising trends in the field of technological development.  At the  same time, an important element of interaction can be the creation of  a data bank of the best available technologies.  Dear colleagues, I  want to note that we also attach great importance to the development  of local and pan-EAEU systems of food safety.  

We believe that the activation of cooperation on the creation of a  system of collective food security of the EAEU member states will in  the future allow to increase the efficiency of the use of available  resources, restrain inflation, ensure the availability of food and  activate mutual trade.  I consider the formation of common markets of  energy resources to be another important component of the integration  cooperation of the EAEU.  In this context, I would like to underline  our interest in reaching consensus as soon as possible on the  unregulated issues of the draft international treaty on the formation  of a common gas market and once again confirm our readiness for a  constructive approach for their solution?  Within the framework of  the issues of the EAEU common electric power market, I consider the  flexible and multi-vector approaches laid down in the basis of the  "Rules for Access to Interstate Electricity Transmission Services" to  be relevant for Armenia.  

In particular, the Rules will make it possible to ensure connection  to the energy systems of the EAEU member states through a country  that is not a member state of the Union (in our case, through  Georgia), thereby creating technical and legal prerequisites for  concluding mutually beneficial market contracts.  Dear meeting  participants, In order to fully launch the integrated information  system of the Union, we need to synchronize our actions in this  direction, which will allow us to form a reliable "digital framework"  to ensure the freedom of movement of goods, services, capital and  labor.  

The development of the digital economy and the introduction of  digital technologies is an objective necessity for the formation of a  single digital space. In this context, I would like to note the  relevance and high demand for the tools of the interstate information  exchange system, the creation and development of digital projects  with an integration effect.  And irrespective of the achievements, we  need to constantly review and expand the priorities of the digital  agenda. In this context, I would like to note that the Almaty Digital  Forum has become one of the effective platforms for a comprehensive  dialogue with interested participants to discuss issues of digital  transformation and prospects for digital development.  Dear  colleagues, In conclusion, I would like to wish us all success and  fruitful work and once again confirm the readiness of the Armenian  side to make efforts in implementing the priority directions of  Eurasian integration.  Thank you for attention".  

The Prime Ministers of the Eurasian Economic Union countries  discussed a number of topical issues related to Eurasian integration.  In particular, reference was made to the operation of the EAEU  internal market, the financing of industrial cooperative, the  development of the agro-industrial complex, and cooperation in the  energy sector.  

The implementation of the digital agenda, in particular, the  improvement of the integration information system of the Union, was  highlighted.  Minutes of decisions taken at the session were also  signed. The next session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council  will take place in June in Sochi.  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's  wife, Anna Hakobyan, visited the Museum of Folk Instruments of  Kazakhstan and the State Art Museum in Almaty, toured the exhibition  halls and got acquainted with the presented samples.  PM Pashinyan's  working visit to Almaty is over.