On 30 July, the UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia Francoise Jacob, joined by the UNHCR Senior Emergency Officer and Officer-in-Charge Gwenolenn Le Couster, UNHCR, UNDP and UNICEF colleagues, visited Masis community in Ararat province to meet with the Mayor of Masis Davit Hambardzumyan, refugee families hosted in the community, and community social workers, to understand the situation on the ground, the refugees’ challenges and opportunities, the coping mechanism and capacity of Masis community. The UN colleagues visited community-provided collective shelters hosting refugees, including the UNDP - UNHCR supported shelter for refugees, and observed refugee women entrepreneurs’ small bakery and dress-making businesses that helped them support their families.“This bakery is very important to me and to the community ,” said Zina, when we visited her at her small bakery shop. “I take care of my family with this  business and deliver light and healthy snacks to the neighbourhood,” Zina laughed. Her traditional ‘jingyalov hats’ (herbal bread) and pakhlava had become very popular in Masis. The UN representatives also visited the UNICEF-supported psycho-social hub/child-friendly place for refugee children to learn about their well-being and daily life, as well as  their evolving needs.“We have found peace and harmony in our host community. Masis is a very hospitable town, and the people here are very kind here,” the refugee women were sharing with us about their daily life.The observations and discussions with the refugees and Masis community, helped the UN Resident Coordinator and the UN team to better understand the situation and the priority needs of the refugees and envisage future joint humanitarian, educational and development projects to support and enhance the resilience of the refugees and the host communities. “In a joint effort, the UN team in Armenia will continue to reach out to the refugees - the furthest behind first – to be assured that no one is left behind,” the UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia Francoise Jacob stated, after the insightful field visit to Masis.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization in Armenia (UNIDO) organized a study visit for key decision-makers from Armenia’s quality infrastructure (QI) sector to quality infrastructure institutions in Brussels and international metrology organizations in Paris. The visit was organized within the framework of the EU funded "Support to Quality Infrastructure in Armenia" project and aimed to enhance the participants’ understanding of the EU quality infrastructure framework and international metrology systems.In Brussels, the delegation visited FOD Economie, KMO, Middenstand en Energie, a Belgian government agency, to discuss the importance of European Accreditation;  engaged with WELMEC to learn about harmonizing legal metrology regulations across Europe; met with EURAMET to discuss collaboration among national metrology institutes and the development of uniform measurement standards.Additionally, the delegation met with the UNIDO Representative to the European Union to discuss cooperation frameworks and potential collaboration in quality infrastructure and trade diversification. The Armenian Delegation had an insightful experience at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), as part of their study visit to Paris.  The Delegation visited the National Metrology and Testing Laboratory (LNE), where they discussed potential cooperation opportunities between Armenia and LNE.The Delegation had a meeting at the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML),  where discussions focused on different membership statuses, related procedures, and the benefits that membership would bring to Armenia.The visits concluded with a tour of a state-of-the-art laboratory, showcasing cutting-edge testing and calibration processes.

Yerevan, Armenia – 11 June, 2024 – The impacts of COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and climate change continue to challenge the resilience and sustainability of agrifood systems in Armenia and throughout the region. Addressing these challenges will require the promotion of increased environmental sustainability and ecologically sound and socially responsible agriculture practices that consider economic dimensions. The Regional Conference on Green Agriculture was held from 29–31 May in Yerevan, Armenia, with more than 50 participants in person and many more online. The event was opened by United Nations Resident Coordinator Francoise Jacob and by Raimund Jehle, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representative in Armenia.The FAO event convened representatives from various sectors – including government, academia, civil society and the private sector – from Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova and Uzbekistan. The aim of the conference was to exchange experiences and facilitate discussions regarding the status of green agriculture and green policies, with a focus on leveraging innovation and technology to advance the green transformation in agrifood systems, both regionally and globally.The UN Resident Coordinator emphasized the importance of understanding the complexity of agrifood systems transformation, highlighting the pivotal role played by green agriculture, innovation and youth in addressing these challenges.FAO Representative in Armenia, for his part, underscored the significant efforts and achievements in Armenia in implementing the country’s national pathway for agrifood systems transformation and the ongoing monitoring of progress.“Armenia stands as a front runner in agrifood systems transformation,” said Raimund Jehle.In a journey across the globe, the conference highlighted successful green agriculture practices from various regions. Highlights from Asia included the MIDORI strategy on sustainable food systems in Japan and the constitutional recognition of organic farming laws in the Philippines. The inter-regional platform on water scarcity in the Near East and North Africa and the Voluntary Guidelines on Agro-Environmental Policies from Latin America and the Caribbean also were highlighted.These examples demonstrate the importance of raising awareness and sharing knowledge within and among regions on the role of policies to promote green agriculture, said Tania Santivanez, FAO Regional Coordinator for natural resources management, biodiversity and climate change.To strengthen the connection between evidence-based information and the design of green policies in the region, the conference on its final day featured capacity-building workshops on science–policy interfaces. Participants discussed the development of a road map for actioning science–policy interfaces at the country level, with a focus on Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Republic of Moldova and Uzbekistan.One of the main outcomes of the conference was the discussion of a master plan for green agriculture. This comprehensive plan of action serves as a compass to guide further strategic actions at the country level, aiming to develop national road maps for three pilot countries – Armenia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – in line with FAO’s Strategic Framework and the four betters.Progress in green agricultureThe agricultural sector in Armenia, which contributes 12 percent of the country’s gross domestic product and employs 25 percent of its workforce, is making significant strides in green practices to align with global environmental goals for food security and sustainability.Key initiatives include state assistance for leasing agrifood equipment, supported by green finance initiatives such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s Green Economy Financing Facility and the European Union Green Agriculture Initiative in Armenia project on green agriculture. Despite such challenges as natural resource depletion and climate change, Armenia is progressing in adopting green practices, supported by the development of a national road map, and the establishment of a Regional Green Agriculture Network aimed at enhancing policy coherence and agrifood system resilience.

[Yerevan, Armenia, 20 May] – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the European Union (EU) Delegation to Armenia, and the National Body of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) of Armenia jointly celebrated the World Metrology Day 2024. This annual event honors the signature of the Metre Convention (French: Convention du Mètre), also known as the Treaty of the Metre, that was signed in Paris on 20 May 1875 by representatives of 17 nations. The Convention sets the framework for the International System of Units and global collaboration in the science of measurement, as well as its industrial, commercial, and societal applications. The primary goal of the Convention is to ensure worldwide uniformity of measurement. During WMD 2024 event, the National Body for Standards and Metrology of Armenia (NBSM) hosted representatives from key national institutions, the business sector - clients and potential clients of NBSM services, manufacturers of measuring instruments, representatives from academia and universities, testing laboratories, as well as representatives from other quality infrastructure institutions. WMD 2024 theme “We measure today for a sustainable tomorrow” puts in center the concept of sustainability we are pursuing in all nations to address various challenges in all aspects of society and in our daily life and advance sustainable development goals (SDGs). "As a result of a properly functioning metrology system, the quality of Armenian manufactured goods will be brought to international standards. This is sound stimulus to eliminate technical barriers to trade, supporting our manufacturers to become competitive at international market”, -remarked Albert Babayan, Director of NBSM, reflecting on NBSM services, achievements, ongoing initiatives and outlined future.  “The European Union has been involved in quality infrastructure development initiatives in Armenia since 2009. Our cooperation has included development of strategy for quality infrastructure with the Armenian government and compilation of a legislative package, including the Uniformity in Measurement Law. Recognizing the importance of metrology, the EU has invested €4 million to upgrade Armenia's metrology system through a UNIDO project. Accurate measurements across various industries help governments, enterprises, and individuals make informed choices that contribute to a more sustainable future”, - highlighted Karen Azaryan, Trade Officer at EU Delegation in Armenia. “Apart from other goods we are producing measuring instruments. Having our products listed in RA Measurement Instruments Register will allow us to export our devices to third countries avoiding technical barriers. These types of events are crucial for establishing connections between state bodies and the private sector. We value not only the formal registration of our products but also the consultancy services provided by the National Body for Standards and Metrology,"-said Robert Tovmasyan, General Director of “Yeghitsi Luys” Ltd., a manufacturer of electrical systems and compressors said. The celebration consisted of the three modules: 1. Presentations from NBSM and invited speakers on the role of metrology in advancing sustainability and recent development in metrology system in Armenia related to legal framework, institutional arrangement, technical capacity development of calibration laboratories, 2. A guided tour to NBSM laboratories - giving opportunity to visitors to show metrology work and glean insights. The tour reward with behind-the-scenes details about calibration and measurements, how the work is done and what motivates metrologists to do their job, 3. Exhibition of measuring instruments produced by Armenian manufacturers, showcasing their products and services. 1st module: presentations were demonstrated on the role of metrology in advancing sustainability and recent developments in Armenia's metrology system, including legal frameworks, institutional arrangements, and the technical capacity development of calibration laboratories. All speakers and presenters emphasized the pivotal role of metrology in supporting public and private initiatives through accurate and reliable measurements, thereby contributing to economic prosperity, the wellbeing of the population, and the protection of our planet. 2nd module: participants were offered a guided tour to NBSM’s mass and thermal calibration laboratories to observe metrology work and gain insights into the details of calibration and measurements. 3rd module: visitors attended an exposition of measuring instruments produced by Armenian manufacturers, which were showcased for this event in NBSM building, becoming familiar with the products and services of local manufacturers. Certificates were awarded to partner institutions and NBSM beneficiaries acknowledging their contributions in the development of metrology in Armenia. The WMD 2024 celebration was supported by UNIDO through the project “Support to Quality Infrastructure in Armenia” which is funded by the EU. The main objective of the project is to establish and equip four calibration laboratories in NBSM, in order to provide sustainable and internationally recognized metrology services to stakeholders within the country, ultimately supporting Armenia to implement the CEPA Agreement with the EU for improved trade competitiveness and meaningful utilization of the benefits.