"The era of new opportunities": Experts on Armenia-Saudi Arabia cooperation
Armenia-Saudi Arabia
Armenian foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan made a two-day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is the first high-level visit since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries (November 2023). Ararat Mirzoyan met with Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, as well as the ministers of Education and Economy.
Officially, the foreign ministers discussed prospects for cooperation in trade, economy, tourism, education, information technology, and the protection of cultural heritage.
Armenian experts believe that this visit could have a significant positive impact. In particular, Saudi Arabia may contribute to the stability of the region by using its diplomatic leverage and investing in Armenia’s economy.
All the details of the visit and analysts’ commentary.
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Yerevan and Riyadh agree to “fill in the gaps” in relations
A delegation led by the Armenian foreign minister visited Riyadh on April 17-18. During the meeting with the Saudi foreign minister, Ararat Mirzoyan emphasized that Armenia is advancing political dialogue and partnership with all Arab countries and participated for the first time in a ministerial meeting of the Arab League last year.
It is reported that the ministers noted the positive momentum in the development of political dialogue between Armenia and Saudi Arabia, readiness to expand the bilateral agenda, and to form the corresponding legal framework. They highlighted the importance of regular direct flights, which contribute to people-to-people communication and stimulate business ties.
The situation in the region was also discussed, including recent developments in the settlement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the “Crossroads of Peace” project. It was developed by the Armenian government as a proposal to unlock the region’s transportation and economic communications.
During the meeting with the minister of education of the kingdom, an agreement was reached to intensify contacts and exchange experiences in the field of education, professional training, and mutually beneficial utilization of human resource potential. And during the negotiations with the minister of economy, establishing direct contacts between business circles and forming an institutional framework were discussed. The parties also agreed on cooperation in the field of information technology.
Commentary
The head of the “APRI Armenia” analytical center, Lara Sedrakyan, and junior research fellow David Antonyan consider the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Saudi Arabia as a “historic step.” In their joint article, they write that Mirzoyan’s visit marks the “beginning of an era of new opportunities” for expanding strategic cooperation between the two countries.
The authors view the establishment of relations with Saudi Arabia from the perspective of diversifying Armenia’s foreign policy:
“Cooperation with Saudi Arabia, as well as relations with additional partners such as France, Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus, can solidify Armenia’s involvement and the success of joint projects.”
The authors advise considering the leading role of the kingdom in the Arab and Islamic world. Relations with Saudi Arabia will provide a positive impulse for constructive cooperation between Armenia and other states, believe analysts.
Saudi Arabia can play an important intermediary role in establishing stability in the South Caucasus, “help prevent future conflicts,” according to Armenian experts. The article states that Saudi Arabia is an influential regional power, a modern country with significant financial potential for investment abroad. It is important to outline common interests between Yerevan and Riyadh and define mutually beneficial goals:
“For Armenia, it is important to achieve a balance and reciprocity in the proposals presented by Saudi Arabia. At the same time, Armenia should present strategic proposals to Saudi Arabia in support of its development.”
The experts assure that Saudi Arabia intends to attract talent and intellectual capital for rapid economic growth. Despite the challenges it faces, Armenia has found and developed solutions that can stimulate key areas of growth in Saudi Arabia, from technology to culture.
Commenting on the foreign policy of this country, the authors of the article identify its features. The kingdom is a “neutral country” that has managed to establish strong relations with both the US and Russia, as well as diplomatic relations with former regional rivals Turkey and Iran:
“This gives Saudi Arabia the opportunity to cooperate with all South Caucasus countries on an equal basis, without being subject to the polarization of conflicting alliances.”
The key direction of Saudi Arabia’s interaction with partner countries is long-term investments in strategically important sectors of the economy. The state is interested in renewable energy, high technology, artificial intelligence, and agriculture:
“Considering that Saudi Arabia can provide large-scale long-term investments, bilateral projects may include investments in infrastructure and economic development.”
All of this, according to experts, could lead to positive transformations in Armenia’s economy. They see opportunities for cooperation in the tourism sector as well, and the authors of the article consider it possible for Saudi Arabia to become a potential market for the export of Armenian agricultural products.
