Conference Highlights: Armenia’s Choices on Mining and Socio-Economic Development

International and local experts were in Yerevan on Friday, November 30 for a one-day conference examining the choices available to Armenia as it tries to balance economic gains with that of social equity as well as public and environmental health. The presentations and photos available are shared below. In coming days we will continue to add more content, including videos and texts.  

The conference featured a keynote presentation on mining’s role in economic growth and social development by Dr. Saleem Ali, Director of the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining at the University of Queensland, Australia. The event’s first panel examined whether mining can play a key role in Armenia’s economic growth, while the second panel focused on mining’s impact on Armenia’s environmental and public health. The event’s last panel explored whether Armenia’s legal and institutional framework on mining fosters socio-economic development.

These issues were discussed against the larger backdrop of a growing unease in and outside Armenia on the potential benefits and risks of mining to the country’s socio-economic and environmental future.   

Dr. Saleem Ali and Dr. Varduhi Petrosian speak to Civilnet about mining and its economic, environmental and health impacts in Armenia

Conference Panels and Presentations

• Bruce Boghosian, AUA President (slide) (text) (video)

• Patrice Coeur-Bizot, UNDP Resident Representative (text) (video)

• Introduction to the keynote speaker and the goals of the conference 
  Alen Amirkhanian, College of Science and Engineering, AUA (text) (video)

• KEYNOTE TALK: “Mining’s Role in Economic Growth and Social Development: International Perspective” 
  Saleem Ali, Director of the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, University of Queensland, Australia (PPT) (video)

• Statistical Overview of Mining in Armenia
  Anastas Aghazarayan, Adviser to the President of the National Statistical Service, RA (PPT) (video)

• PANEL 1: Can mining play a key role in Armenia’s economic growth? (video)
  Moderator: Alen Amirkhanian, College of Science and Engineering, AUA

  Panelists:                          

  • Aleksandr Grigoryan, Assistant Professor, College of Business and Economics, AUA (PPT)
    
  • David Androyan, Head, Chair of Economics and Management of Mining and Metallurgy Enterprises, State Engineering University of Armenia (PPT)
    
  • Shushanik Kerobyan, Head, Minerals’ Division, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, RA 
  • Erik Grigoryan, President, Association of Young Environmental Lawyers and Economists (PPT)
    
  • Ruzanna Vardanyan, Deputy Head of Financial-Economic Department, RA Government Staff (discussant)

   

• PANEL 2: Mining and Armenia’s Environmental and Public Health: Impact and Mitigation (video)
  Moderator: Karen Aghababyan, Acopian Center for the Environment, AUA

  Panelists:

  • Camille Bann, Consultant, UNDP (PPT)
    
  • Varduhi Petrosyan, College of Health Sciences, AUA (PPT)
  • Vram Tevosyan, National Expert on Environmental Impact Assessments (discussant)
    

   

• PANEL 3: RA Legal and Institutional Framework on Mining: Does it foster Armenia’s socio-economic development?(video) 
  Moderator: Tom Samuelian, Dean, College of Humanities and Social Science, AUA

  Panelists:

  • Artur Grigoryan, Attorney to the Aarhus Centers in Armenia, Assistant at the National Assembly of RA (PPT) 
  • Gevorg Danielyan, former RA Minister of Justice, currently advisor to RA Constitutional Court
    
  • Hakob Sanasaryan,  Chairman, Armenia’s Green Union
    
  • Haykanush Parsamyan, Lecturer, Law Program, College of Humanities and Social Science, AUA and National Expert on Justice, Liberty, and Security at the EU Advisory Group 

   

• Closing Remarks: Outlining Key Takeaways and Future To Do’s (Dr. Saleem Ali) (video)

Conference Photos