The delegation headed by the RA ESCS Deputy Minister Arthur Martirosyan took part in the II Youth Forum of the CIS and EAEU member states.

More than 150 delegates of the CIS and EAEU countries from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Cuba, as well as other CIS countries, participated in the forum. The Forum was held in Sochi (Russian Federation).

The Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin attended the opening ceremony of the event and delivered a welcoming speech. The Prime Minister of the Russian Federation touched upon the programs provided for young people currently operating within the framework of Eurasian Integration. The Secretary General of the CIS S. Lebedev, EEC Board Chairman M. Myasnikovich, and heads of delegations of the participating countries of the Forum welcomed the participants.

RA ESCS Deputy Minister Arthur Martirosyan also delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, touching upon the participation of young people in solving contemporary economic problems. Speaking about the key mission of the Forum - youth entrepreneurship and support for the development of entrepreneurial skills, A. Martirosyan emphasized three key approaches:

“The first approach is that the development of entrepreneurial skills and entrepreneurial behavior should begin at school and continue during further levels of education,” stated the Deputy Minister, briefly presenting the Armenian experience in this direction in the general, vocational and higher education system.

“Currently, a new state standard of general education is being piloted in Armenia, which establishes that upon graduation a graduate should already have entrepreneurial skills, distinguishing the types of entrepreneurial activity and the forms of its implementation. A similar approach is also implemented in the vocational education system, where, regardless of the profession, the entrepreneurial module is a mandatory component. In the higher education system as well, numerous Armenian universities, cooperating with international universities, implement additional programs aimed at entrepreneurial education of students, in parallel with academic education. We are ready to share our experience with the EAEU member states to further promote Eurasian Integration, strengthen ties between states, and modernize the economy,” noted Arthur Martirosyan.

According to the Deputy Minister, the second approach is that it is necessary to encourage the youth to not only replenish the labor market as trained specialists but also to do everything possible for them to become employers.

In regard to the third approach, A. Martirosyan highlighted the need to launch information portals about youth programs that stimulate entrepreneurship, which will enable even more young people to join support programs implemented at the national and supranational levels. “In this context, I would like to note that since the objective of the EAEU is to unite the economic and legal spaces of the member states, and create opportunities for the free movement of human capital and labor resources, it will be efficient to create united youth portals in the EAEU and CIS countries, where all national and supranational programs on enhancing youth entrepreneurship and increasing youth participation will be posted,” he said.

The key event of the Forum was the plenary session. As part of the strategic discussions, sector-supporting initiatives were developed by youth entrepreneurship and public authorities.

The Armenian delegation included 13 representatives of state and non-state bodies, including from Government departments (Ministries of ESCS and High-Tech Industry), the National Polytechnic University of Armenia, the State University of Economics of Armenia, Yerevan branch of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, young entrepreneurs and startup authors. The aim of the Forum was to identify issues hindering the development of youth entrepreneurship in the CIS and the EAEU, to put forward common solutions, as well as to create new opportunities for the self-realization of young professionals and young entrepreneurs of the member states.

The II Youth Forum in Sochi was held as part of a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, organized by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs of the Russian Federation (Rosmolodezh) with the direct support of the Eurasian Economic Committee and the CIS Executive Committee.

Within the framework of the Forum, RA ESCS Deputy Minister Arthur Martirosyan and chief specialist of the Department of Youth Policy, Supplementary and Continuing Education Veronika Khorasanyan visited the “Sea of Ideas’ Center in Sochi, where, among a number of services, young people are supported to turn their own business ideas into reality through various programs.

Representatives of the RA MoESCS also visited the “Youth House” youth center in Sochi and got acquainted with the capabilities, services, and working methodology of the center.

Within the framework of the II Youth Forum of the CIS and the EAEU, a business meeting was held with the deputy heads of Governments of the EAEU member states with the participation of the leadership of the EEC and the CIS. During the meeting, the Forum participants presented the youth initiatives discussed and developed in working groups aimed at integrating young people into the processes of the EAEU and the CIS, establishing business cooperation between young people. Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan participated in the business meeting from Armenia. Speaking about the processes and actors of Eurasian integration, he emphasized the role and importance of young people in them, urging them to be proactive and free in promoting and implementing their own ideas. According to the delegates, the high-level business meeting is a unique format of direct communication, where the best integration proposals of young entrepreneurs of the Union countries can receive support directly from high-ranking state officials.