President holds consultation on demographic issues

Today, President Serzh Sargsyan held a consultation on demographic issues in the Republic of Armenia, attended by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Chief of Presidential Staff, the Chairman of NA Standing Committee on Health and Social Affairs, the Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs, Healthcare, Territorial Administration and Development, Agriculture, Finance, Economic Development and investments, the Diaspora, the Deputy Foreign Minister, as well as by senior officials from President’s Administration.

The meeting focused on the key demographic challenges in Armenia and the opportunities for improving the situation. Reference was made to those macroeconomic factors affecting the demographic situation, the priorities and the steps to take as a basis in implementing targeted State policies, as well as the incentives to achieve this goal.

To begin with, the President stressed that the nationwide goal of bringing Armenia’s population to 4 million until 2040 is a difficult, but realistic task. The President also said the security issues arising from Armenia’s relations with some neighbors that have an adverse impact on the demographic situation are surmountable as well. Serzh Sargsyan believes that the achievement of the proposed goal should be a primary focus for all Armenian authorities, and the continuous improvement of the demographic situation should be deemed as much important even beyond 2040.

Summing up the discussion, the President of the Republic of Armenia issued a number of instructions. In particular, the government was tasked to develop a set of strategic provisions for improving the demographic situation in the Republic of Armenia (up to 2040), and to reflect them in Armenia’s development strategy until 2030 by determining the relevant components and five-year targets for the development and implementation of future projects.

The Head of State underscored that any strategic program developed by the government should address the demographic situation, based on the strategic principles stipulated in the government-approved demographic situation improvement program up to 2040, and the approaches set out in the comprehensive strategic plan effective at the moment.