On May 26, on the margins of the “Yerevan Dialogue” international forum Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan participated in a panel discussion entitled “The Role of Trade and Transport Connectivity in Promoting Regional Cooperation.”

Among the speakers were Josef Karl Pelikan, Director of the  Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Coordination of UNIDO, Special Representative for Europe and Central Asia; Andreas Theophanous, President, Center for European and International Affairs at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus; Kaush Arha, President of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Forum and Yair Hirschfeld, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Middle Eastern History at the University of Haifa, Israel. The discussion was moderated by Nada Al Hajjri, President of the Yemen Information Center.

The panel addressed key challenges hindering the development of trade, including structural, institutional, and regulatory constraints. The speakers exchanged views on potential tools and strategies for improving the efficiency of border crossing and customs procedures, as well as on ways to modernize transport infrastructure, enhance connectivity, and optimize supply chains.

Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan emphasized the strategic importance of regional openness which can contribute to building trust and long-term stability in the region.