Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Armenia and France
26 May, 2025
On May 21, at the MFA of Armenia, Minister Ararat Mirzoyan held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Noël Barrot, who was on an official visit to Yerevan. The ministers first had a tête-à-tête meeting, followed by discussions in an enlarged format with the participation of delegations.
Within the framework of the official visit of the Foreign Minister of France, three documents were signed:
- Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic Jean-Noël Barrot signed the “Declaration of Intent”, which envisages, in particular, holding annual political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries, cooperation in the fight against disinformation as well as training of diplomats.
- The “Protocol on Amendments to the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the French Republic on the Establishment and Activities of the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Company for the Promotion and Participation in Economic Cooperation (Proparco) in Armenia” was signed. The purpose of the Protocol is to extend the application of the Agreement to the Expertise France agency, envisaging its activities in the territory of Armenia aimed at increasing the capacities of local authorities, governments, and state departments.
- In the presence of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and France the Acting Director of the Enterprise Armenia Investment Support Center Foundation Gohar Galyan and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia Olivier Decottignies, on behalf of Business France, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Enterprise Armenia Foundation and the French company Business France.
Following the meeting, the ministers held a joint press conference.
The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and France jointly participated in a panel discussion within the framework of the "Yerevan Dialogue" international forum. The two ministers also took part in the redemption ceremony of a postage stamp dedicated to the "Yerevan Dialogue".
As part of the visit, Minister Barrot, accompanied by the Armenian Foreign Minister, visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial. The Foreign Minister of France paid tribute to the memory of the victims and took part in the unveiling ceremony of a memorial plaque dedicated to French Admiral Louis Dartige du Fournet.
In his remarks, Minister Mirzoyan stated:“The history of the genocide is primarily a story of tragedy, but on the other hand, it is also one of hope, because there are people like Admiral du Fournet who saved Armenians facing genocide, doing so at the risk of their own lives and careers. This is what continues to make us all believe in humanity”.