V.H. Apelian's Blog

V.H. Apelian's Blog

Friday, August 28, 2026

Diaspora in the Armenian Government’s 2026-2031 agenda

Vaհe H Apelian

During the last National Assembly session, the PM Nikol Pashinyan preseted his goverments 2026-2031 program in an eighty-five pages long booklet that was distributed to the delegates. That marathon session including opposition, was all about “Real Armenia”, the Republic of Armenia.

The government’s five-year program, as expected, was adopted by the National Assembly. It consists of six sections and each section is further subdivided by chapters. The program is available online for all those who want to read it. I posted the six sections with their chapters below.

Section 2 is called is called “Human Capital and Welfare”. It consists of 9 chapters. The second chapter pertains to relations with Diaspora. It reads as follows in official translation.

“The Government will redefine the relations with the Diaspora, building them around the ideology of "Real Armenia" and Armenian statehood. It is important to redefine Armenia-Diaspora co-operation in the context of peace. To this end,

(1) Programmes promoting professional repatriation from the Diaspora will be introduced.

(2) The co-operation with pan-Armenian professional, expert, youth and student networks will be expanded.

(3) The access for educational institutions of the Diaspora to educational programmes aligned with the general education content of the Republic of Armenia, educational materials, Armenian-language printed and electronic educational resources, digital educational services, capacity-building and exchange programmes will be continuously expanded, and the integration

of educational institutions into the educational system of Armenia will be ensured to the extent possible.

(4) The co-operation between the educational, scientific and cultural institutions of the Republic of Armenia and the institutions of the Diaspora, including research centres and organisations, will be expanded, promoting the development of joint educational programmes, research projects, academic mobility, and exchange of experience.”

The government of Armenia is stating that “The Government will redefine its relations with the Diaspora around the ideology of "Real Armenia" and Armenian statehood.” There is nothing new there, other than having stated what has been the case on and since May 28, 1918, but has not been articulated, unlike Nikol Pashinyan led government. 

Any argument to the contrary will have to contend with the fact of the matter that the Armenian governments have been acting unconstitutionally then since the Declaration of Indepence, adopted on August 23, 1990, as incorporated in the Armenian constitution in 1995. The successive governments did not recognize historical Artsakh, did not annex it. In fact, no Armenian government since May 28, 1928 has made recognition, reparation, restitution of the Genocide, and Armenian historical lands instruments of their  foreign policies. As to how Diaspora, which has to a great extend hinged its Armenian identity to Genocide, will shape its structure with Armenia, is to be seen. I am reminded of the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide before 1965. It was held indoors with the Avedis Aharonian’s quote inevitably on display “ «Այսքան չարիք թէ մոռանան մեր որդիք, Թո՛ղ ողջ աշխարհ Հային կարդայ նախատինք» - “If our children will forget so much evil, let the whole world read them contempt.” I do not think there is any Armenian of my generation that does not know Avedis Aharonian’s statement by heart.

Of course we will hever forget the Genocide. We will remember and honor the martyrs of the Genocide, in Armenia, by paying homage to them in at the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide memorial complex. Armenian government officias will continue to pay homage to the martyrs on April 24. Armenian schools in Diaspora will close on April 24. Armenian churches will continue on offering special services and memorial liturgies on April 24 to observe the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian of the Armenian genocide.

 

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The Armenian Republic Government’s programme for 2026-2031. 

Content:

SECTION 1. FOREIGN POLICY AND SECURITY 

Chapter 1. Foreign Policy

Chapter 2. Security

SECTION 2. HUMAN CAPITAL AND WELFARE 

Chapter 1. Education 

Chapter 2. Relations with the Diaspora 

Chapter 3. Healthcare 

Chapter 4. Sports and Healthy Lifestyle 

Chapter 5. Labor and Social Protection 

Chapter 6. Culture 

Chapter 7. Spiritual Security 

Chapter 8. Environment 

SECTION 3. ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION 

Chapter 1. Global and Integrated Economy 

Chapter 2. Competitive Economy 

Chapter 3. Knowledge-Based and Innovative Economy 

SECTION 4. URBAN PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE 

Chapter 1. Transport 

Chapter 2. Energy 

Chapter 3. Communications 

Chapter 4. Water resources and systems 

Chapter 5. Urban development and spatial planning 

Chapter 6. Waste management 

SECTION 5. DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION 

Chapter 1. Adoption of the new Constitution 

Chapter 2. Electoral system reforms 

Chapter 3. Reevaluation of the institution of citizenship 

Chapter 4. Protection of human rights 

Chapter 5. Strengthening the independence and efficiency of the judicial system 

Chapter 6. Penitentiary, probation and compulsory enforcement reform of the system providing 

Chapter 7. Expansion of out-of-court dispute resolution methods 

Chapter 8. Digitalization of justice and the judicial system 

Chapter 9. Anti-corruption policy 

SECTION 6. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION EFFICIENCY AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION 

Chapter 1. Skilled people 

Chapter 2. Evidence-based and effective policies 

Chapter 3. People-centered services and digital transformation 

Chapter 4. Effective management of public finances and assets 

SUMMARY

 


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