ESTABLISHING A CANADIAN EMBASSY IN YEREVAN
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- Canada is the only G7 country that is not permanently represented in Armenia. To substantially advance Canada-Armenia relations and build on the momentum created by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s historic visit to Armenia in October 2018, it is crucial for Canada to establish a permanent diplomatic mission in Armenia. The establishment of a permanent mission will serve mutual interests in various realms, especially in increasing trade volume between the two countries. Canada represents an ideal partner in reinforcing Armenia’s international engagement and enhance political ties and promote and protect Canada’s and Canadians’ wide-ranging interests in Armenia. The establishment of a permanent Canadian diplomatic mission in Yerevan is key to the realization of this effort.
BILATERAL FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT
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- A free-trade agreement between Canada and Armenia will establish a comprehensive framework between the two countries and it will facilitate a more consistent flow of trade and investments, hence, strengthening the bilateral ties between the countries and promoting more international trade. Over the last few years, Armenia’s investment climate has consistently been ranked favourably by international agencies such as the Heritage Foundation and the World Bank. With various investment-friendly legislation and by its participation in the Eurasian Union (population 180 million), Armenia can serve as a gateway for Canadian businesses expanding into Eurasia and the Greater Middle East, providing a business-friendly, Western-oriented, English-speaking base for enterprises to reach large nearby markets.
STRENGHTENING DEMOCRATIC INSTITUIONS IN ARMENIA
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- Since gaining independence in 1991, Armenia has shown outstanding commitment to strengthening its democratic standards and to providing equitable social assistance to its population. With the current wave of changes in Armenia, Canada can play a crucial role in assisting Armenia’s commitment to stronger democratic standards and important social justice issues, by extending the “Arnold Chan Initiative for Democracy in Armenia” to become an annual strategic funding program.
