Armenia National SDG Innovation Lab presented Armenia’s reforms agenda and National Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development at a Roundtable Discussion on the Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Sweden and Armenia, with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia H.E. Edward Nalbandian and State Secretary for International Development and Cooperation of Sweden H.E. Ulrika Modeer. The roundtable was organized by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations.
Head of UN RCO in Armenia, Hovhannes Ghazaryan presented the United Nations approach to the nationalization and implementation process of UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) in Armenia as well as elaborated on the joint effort that the United Nations and the Government of Armenia are making for the acceleration and implementation of the UN SDGs in Armenia.
Facilitated by the Swedish Ambassador for the Eastern Partnership, H.E. Anna Westerholm, the round table commenced with opening remarks from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia H.E. Edward Nalbandian and State Secretary H.E. Ulrika Modeer of Sweden.
This was followed by the Lab’s presentation of the Armenia National SDG Innovation Lab in the prism of Armenia’s reforms agenda, the National Development Strategy 2030 and National Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and Hovhannes Ghazaryan’s reflection on the United Nations approach towards the SDG agenda in Armenia and partnership with the Government of Armenia.
Swedish experience was presented by Swedfund Director, Gerth Svensson, Administrative Director of Swedish National Innovation Council of the Office of the Prime Minister of Sweden, Oskar Thorslund, representatives of Vinnova and Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
Armenia-UN unique partnership model around Agenda 2030 and the success story in innovation through SDG Lab establishment was highlighted by all parties to the discussion.
The roundtable was attended by Ambassador of Armenia to Sweden, H.E. Artak Apitonyan, Ambassador of Sweden to Armenia, H.E. Martina Quick, Swedish Ambassador for the 2030 Agenda, H.E. Kajsa B Olofsgard, representatives of the Armenian and Swedish Government, Swedish business, innovation and development communities.
The participants reflected on the need for enhanced partnership, cooperation and joint effort by Armenia and Sweden towards advancing the UN SDGs based on the shared values of recognizing the important role of SDGs in the development and reforms agenda in Armenia, Sweden as well as internationally.
The discussants also reflected on the perspectives of linking Armenia’s Eurasian Economic Union membership and Armenia’s enhanced agenda with the European Union through Armenia’s unique position of bridging and offering the best of both to one another.
Earlier the Lab team and Hovhannes Ghazaryan made a presentation of Armenia’s reform agenda, Armenia-UN partnership at SIDA, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, during a session at SIDA HQs in Stockholm followed by a number of bilateral meetings with SIDA representatives, representatives of the Swedish Government, innovation and business communities.