Armen Kharazian, a former member of the Armenian Foreign Service, talks to CivilNet about Armenia and Afghanistan’s mutual problem of a lack of agency. Mr. Kharazian discusses the lessons Armenia can learn from Afghanistan, the diversification of Armenian foreign policy, and how a lack of agency can amplify external pressure.
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Armenia Launches Its First Satellite
On December 1, Armenia’s first domestically made satellite “Hayasat-1” was launched by a SpaceX rocket at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The project is a collaboration between Yerevan’s Bazoomq Space Research Laboratory and Armenia’s Center for Scientific Innovation and Education, and commissioned by Armenia’s Ministry of High Tech Industry. CSIE’s Technical Director of Space Programs Masis Gumrigyan gathered with supporters to watch the launch. Gumrigyan spoke about the challenges he and his team faced, and what this launch means for Armenia’s future in space.
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Insider Perspective on Armenia’s Military Transformation
In this episode, host Patrick Elliott interviews Regional Studies Center director Richard Giragossian. They discuss Giragossian’s analysis of ongoing military reforms in Armenia and structural weaknesses plaguing Azerbaijan that could undermine future military aggression. Insight is also provided into the dynamics shaping the strategic military environment and what it means for regional stability.
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Trade war fears grow as Armenian trucks pile up at
Hundreds of Armenian trucks remain stalled at a key border crossing between Georgia and Russia, prompting Yerevan to take the rare step of calling an emergency meeting of a Moscow-led trade bloc. A prolonged closure of the Upper Lars checkpoint would have disastrous effects for Armenia’s economy, experts have warned. Credits: Ruptly
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What will it take to have a landmine-free South Caucasus?
Benyamin Poghosyan is the Chairman of the Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies, an organization that has been working with the EU-supported Links Europe organization since 2019 to implement their annual Landmine Free South Caucasus campaigns. On November 30, acknowledged as the “day of solidarity with victims of landmines and their communities,” CivilNet spoke with Benyamin about the challenges the initiative faces, especially when it comes to the politicized nature of the landmine issue, which often overlooks the most affected communities.
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Thanksgiving and Mourning
By Skylar Yoder While thanksgiving is traditionally a North American holiday, I had the pleasure of celebrating it in Armenia this year. At CivilNet, several of my colleagues went out of their way to prepare a Thanksgiving feast for the office, which happened to coincide with my last day in Yerevan and a period of deep sorrow for Armenians everywhere. The meal itself was highly impressive, with us somehow collectively supplying in one day’s time: ten kilos of Turkey, rice pilaf, roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce, and even apple pie with vanilla ice cream. While this alone was an experience, what […]
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IWAY: Impactful Work in Armenia’s Rural Communities
In this Interview, host Patrick Elliott sits down with Victoria Kasabyan, the President of Yerevan-based IWAY NGO. Kasabyan shares how their projects provide funding, renovatinos and community building for women in Armenia’s remote border villages. She also discusses IWAY’s upcoming Christmas bazaar fundraiser, the proceeds from which will support the expansion of their initiatives.
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Ilham, Thou Protest Too Much
This week on Insights, host Eric Hacopian analyzes Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s unprecedented eight-hour marathon question and answer session with the public. He discusses what it shows about Armenia’s democratic development and priorities. Eric then looks at the reactions from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev regarding Armenia’s military acquisitions. Hacopian provides context and insights into the strategic communications behind these political dynamics unfolding in the South Caucasus.
