Armenia Faces Serious Humanitarian and Security Challenges, Says Parliament Speaker
The Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, addressed the 19th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean in Rome, Italy, emphasizing Armenia’s ongoing humanitarian and security challenges. His speech stressed the importance of regional cooperation, economic development, and the pursuit of lasting peace.
In his address, Simonyan expressed gratitude to Italian and Mediterranean leaders for the opportunity to speak at the assembly. He acknowledged the significance of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, which focuses on critical global issues such as counter-terrorism, economic integration, and conflict resolution.
Simonyan mentioned Armenia’s deep historical and cultural connections with Mediterranean countries, strengthened by the Armenian diaspora in the region. While Armenia is not a member of the Union for the Mediterranean, it actively collaborates on initiatives related to sustainable development and regional stability. He also noted that Armenia, as a founding member of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), seeks stronger partnerships between regional organizations to achieve shared goals.
A major part of Simonyan’s speech focused on the difficulties Armenia faces as a landlocked nation with closed borders to both its east and west. For over three decades, Armenia has struggled with economic and transportation challenges due to blockades on its borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey. He stressed the importance of eliminating political obstacles that hinder the free movement of people, goods, and services, which are necessary for economic growth and global market integration.
The speaker also pointed to broader issues affecting Armenia and other landlocked developing countries, including geopolitical instability, supply chain disruptions, rising food and fuel prices, and climate change. These factors, he warned, present significant barriers to economic development.
Simonyan emphasized that Armenia faces major humanitarian and security problems. He warned that the constant threat of force in the region is harmful to the well-being of any society. The only way to ensure stability and progress, he stated, is through peace. To this end, Armenia is committed to building a stable and lasting peace in the region.
As part of its peace-building efforts, the Armenian government has introduced the Crossroads of Peace initiative. This project aims to develop new and improve existing infrastructure in the South Caucasus to promote economic, political, and cultural ties among regional nations. Unlike other regional transportation projects, Armenia’s plan is designed to complement existing efforts rather than compete with them.
The project seeks to restore missing sections of roads and railways to create a seamless connection from the Persian Gulf and Arabian Gulf to the Mediterranean and Black Seas. The plan follows key principles:
Infrastructure will remain under the sovereign control of each country it passes through.
Countries will maintain border and customs control over vehicles, goods, and people crossing their territory.
The infrastructure will serve both international and domestic transportation needs.
All participating nations will cooperate based on equality and reciprocity.
Customs and border controls will be streamlined through mutual agreements.
By restoring and unblocking vital transportation routes, the initiative aims to build stronger economic ties and political stability across the region.
Simonyan reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to regional peace and stability, expressing optimism about ongoing negotiations with Turkey to open the long-closed border between the two countries. He emphasized Armenia’s willingness to engage in Mediterranean cooperative frameworks and work alongside all regional partners to address shared priorities.
As Simonyan concluded his speech, he reiterated Armenia’s readiness to be a constructive participant in regional collaborations, ensuring that its people and economy are no longer hindered by political barriers and external pressures. The coming months and years will be crucial in determining whether Armenia can successfully overcome these challenges and achieve its vision of regional peace and prosperity.
