Minister of Labour H E Dr. Ali bin Saeed bin Smaikh Al Marri; Director of the Protocol Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H E Ambassador Ibrahim Fakhroo; Ambassador of Armenia to Qatar H E Tigran Gevorgyan and other dignitaries cutting the ceremonial cake to mark 35th Anniversary of Armenian independence, yesterday. Pictures by Rajan Vadakkemuriyil/ The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Armenia’s 35th Independence Day was marked in Doha yesterday, with the country highlighting its history, commitment to freedom, development and growing relations with Qatar.
The event, held at The Ritz-Carlton Doha, was attended by Minister of Labour H E Dr Ali bin Saeed bin Smaikh Al Marri; Director of the Protocol Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Ambassador Ibrahim Fakhroo; Ambassador of Eritrea to Qatar and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps H E Ali Ibrahim Ahmed; General Manager of Katara Cultural Village Foundation Prof. Khalid Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti; and several ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador of Armenia to Qatar H E Tigran Gevorgyan said the anniversary represented not only 35 years of statehood but also the Armenian people’s long struggle “to preserve their identity, to live in freedom and to shape their own future.”
He said Armenia’s independence, declared through a referendum on September 21, 1991, also carried a broader responsibility to strengthen democracy, protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and build a peaceful and dignified society.
Ambassador Gevorgyan highlighted the development of Qatar and Armenia relations, describing them as based on mutual respect, trust and constructive dialogue, with significant potential for expanding cooperation in political, economic, investment, tourism, innovation and cultural fields.
“Armenia highly values its friendly relations with the State of Qatar and is interested in further deepening them,” he said, adding that high-level contacts and mutual visits have contributed to advancing the bilateral agenda.
He also praised Qatar’s role in promoting regional and international peace and stability, particularly its mediation efforts and initiatives aimed at resolving complex issues through dialogue and negotiations.
Turning to Armenia’s economic development, Ambassador Gevorgyan highlighted the country’s growing focus on science, technology and innovation. He said cooperation with global technology companies creating new opportunities in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, science, education, business and technological entrepreneurship.
“Our task is to use knowledge, education, talent and innovation to advance Armenian development and strengthen its international competitiveness,” he said.
Ambassador Gevorgyan also highlighted Armenia’s expansion of renewable energy capabilities and efforts to cooperate with technologically advanced countries on the construction of a new nuclear power plant, saying these initiatives would help diversify the economy, enhance competitiveness and strengthen the country’s position as a reliable partner.
He said Armenia was confident that its relations with Qatar would gain further momentum and expand across a broader range of areas, while strengthening people-to-people ties between the two countries.
