Strengthening Armenia's national security policy: the importance of cooperation between the expert community and state bodies
On March 31, 2026, the Caucasus Institute organized a public discussion on the topic of “Strengthening Armenia’s Security Policy: The Importance of Cooperation between the Expert Community and State Bodies.” Opening remarks were delivered by the Director of the Caucasus Institute, Alexander Iskandaryan, Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, and Alexandra Cole, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The event was moderated by Sergey Minasyan, Deputy Director of the Caucasus Institute. During the discussion, Artak Shakaryan, Program Director at the International Republican Institute, presented a brief on “The Internal Dimension of Armenia’s National Security Policy,” followed by a question-and-answer session and an open discussion.
Discussion on Elections and Political Trends in Armenia
On March 19, the Armavir Political Club hosted a discussion on Armenia’s elections and current political developments. Survey results from the International Republican Institute were presented by Goharik Tigranyan, followed by analysis from Sergey Minasyan of the Caucasus Institute. The event concluded with an open discussion.
Strengthening Armenia's National Security Policy
From March 3–6, the Caucasus Institute held a four-day training in Yerevan as part of the “Strengthening Armenia’s National Security Policy” project. Lectures covered investment policy, artificial intelligence, regional logistics, hybrid conflicts, and policy brief preparation. Participants included representatives from Armenia’s Security Council, several ministries, and the National Security Service. The project is funded by the Government of the United Kingdom through its international development assistance.
Elections and Domestic Politics: The Internal Dimension of Armenia’s National Security Policy
From February 27 to March 1, the Caucasus Institute held a workshop in Tsaghkadzor on elections, domestic politics, and Armenia’s national security. Representatives of the Security Council, experts, academics, and journalists discussed how electoral processes affect stability and security. Participants examined risks of external involvement, the influence of public opinion surveys, the state of political parties, and possible post-election scenarios and their implications for the country’s political landscape.
Publications
Refugee Integration Reframed: Adapting Existing Framework to the Unique Experience of Nagorno-Karabakh Refugees in Armenia
Author: Lydia D. Smith, Master's Student of European & Russian Studies at Yale University
Refugee Integration Reframed: Adapting Existing Framework to the Unique Experience of Nagorno-Karabakh Refugees in Armenia
The Armenian Diaspora in France: Political Power in the Context of the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict
Author: Thomas Vignes, MA in "Comparative Politics of Eurasia", Higher School of Economics in Saint-Petersburg
The Armenian Diaspora in France: Political Power in the Context of the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict
The Difficulties of Social and Labour Integration of People from Nagorno Karabakh: A Parallelism with the Greek Case of Pontic Greeks and Ethnic Greek Albanian Migrants Merged into Greece
Author: Carlo Busini, Master in Global Economics and Social Affairs, Ca'Foscari Challenge School
The Difficulties of Social and Labour Integration of People from Nagorno Karabakh: A Parallelism with the Greek Case of Pontic Greeks and Ethnic Greek Albanian Migrants Merged into Greece
Projects
The Caucasus Institute designs and implements projects focused on policy research, analytical work, capacity building, and expert dialogue in the South Caucasus. The Institute’s projects address key issues related to regional security, governance, peacebuilding, and cooperation. Projects are implemented in partnership with international organizations, public institutions, research centers, and civil society organizations, and contribute to evidence-based policymaking and informed public discourse.
Events
Panel Discussion
PARTNERSHIP IN MOTION: ARMENIA, THE EU, AND THE PARLIAMENTS’ VISION FOR CLOSER INTEGRATION
On April 1, a public discussion titled “Partnership in Motion: Armenia, the EU, and the Parliaments’ Vision for Closer Integration” took place in Yerevan. It was jointly organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Caucasus Institute. The event brought together politicians, parliamentarians, diplomats, experts, representatives of civil society, and the media to discuss a new phase in the EU-Armenia relations. The discussion emphasized that the fact that the partnership has been recently activated, and the upcoming high-level joint summits demonstrate the parties’ readiness to deepen political relations, strengthen democratic resilience, and shape a shared future in a complex region. The panel discussion featured François-Xavier Bellamy and Andrzej Halicki, Members of the European Parliament, Vice-Chairs of the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats), and Sargis Khandanyan, Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly of Armenia. The discussion was moderated by Sergey Minasyan, Deputy Director of the Caucasus Institute and Visiting fellow at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, who also addressed the evolving Armenia–EU relationship from a broad political and narrative perspective.