Addressing an audience of more than 500 participants at the Yerevan Dialogue during his official visit to Armenia, Congress President Marc Cools stressed that “in an age of uncertainty, the best way to ensure stability and security is not to retreat from democratic principles, but to anchor them more firmly – locally, nationally, and internationally.”

“Strengthening local governance is not only a domestic priority — it is essential for building resilient democracies capable of withstanding internal and external pressures,” underlined President Cools.

In his meetings with President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan and Mayor of Yerevan Tigran Avinyan, the Congress President welcomed the recent progress in local government reforms and underlined the importance of Armenia as a pillar of democratic stability in the region. He highlighted the shared objective of sustaining democratic renewal from the local level upward, particularly in the context of regional challenges and transitions.

The Armenian authorities acknowledged the longstanding Council of Europe support to their country and expressed particular gratitude for the recent emergency response package to address the refugee crisis.

The Yerevan Dialogue is a global forum bringing together international organisations, government representatives, civil society leaders, the private sector and experts to address pressing issues related to global geopolitical challenges.