An independent think tank in Armenia that informs policymakers and the public about regional developments, Armenia’s foreign policy, security environment, and democratic trajectory, fostering evidence-based research and collaboration.
On July 31, the Regional Center for Democracy and Security (RCDS) hosted a public discussion titled “Armenia’s Democratic Trajectory After the Elections.” The discussion brought together RCDS Director Tigran Grigoryan, CivilNet Editor-in-Chief Karen Harutyunyan, and Narek Sukiasyan, a researcher at the Center for Civilization and Cultural Studies. The discussion was moderated by RCDS expert Hayk […]
On July 15, the Regional Center for Democracy and Security (RCDS) submitted a letter to the Heads of Diplomatic Missions of the European Union Member States, other Schengen Area countries, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada accredited to Armenia, calling for targeted sanctions, including visa restrictions, against individuals who have systematically promoted hate […]
Experts from the Regional Center for Democracy and Security visited Syunik from June 15–18, 2026. During the visit, they met with various population groups and local self-government representatives to discuss the process initiated by the Washington documents on August 8, 2025, as well as the potential challenges and opportunities related to the TRIP route. Discussions […]
From June 15–18, the RCDS team conducted a research visit to Armenia’s Syunik Province. As part of the visit, the team stopped in Yeghegnadzor for an exchange of views with Satu Koivu, Head of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA), Marek Kuberski, and members of the Mission’s team. The discussion focused on recent […]
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By Hayk Khanumyan According to official statistics from Nagorno-Karabakh, as of the pre-war period in 2019, the number of people of working age in Nagorno-Karabakh exceeded 105,000. The working-age population included people aged 16–63. The economically active population—the number of employed people and those seeking employment—was approximately 72,000. The distribution of the labour force across […]
By Eduard Araqelyan A recent Hetq publication, based on the testimony of a participant in a 25-day military training exercise, has once again brought long-standing problems within the Armenian Armed Forces into the public spotlight. The significance of the article lies not so much in its description of conditions at a single combat position, but […]
By Eduard Arakelyan The Iranian government has approved a bill on the ratification of the 2018 Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea and submitted it to parliament. The bill was approved under an “urgent procedure,” meaning it will undergo expedited review in the relevant parliamentary committees. In addition, an upcoming Caspian summit […]
By Tigran Grigoryan On August 2, renowned public intellectual Nassim Nicholas Taleb posted on X that he would not visit Azerbaijan as long as Ruben Vardanyan remains imprisoned in Baku. In his post, Taleb wrote: “Was asked to go to Azerbaijan for a lecture . I declined (they yuugely upped their offer, not understanding my […]
