Estonia opens embassy in Armenia

“Diplomatic relations between Estonia and Armenia date back to 1992, and the opening of our embassy in Yerevan today marks a new stage in our relations. The embassy is a symbol of trust, reaffirming Estonia’s commitment to being present, contributing and strengthening relations with Armenia,” said Tsahkna at the opening ceremony. 

The minister went on to highlight that practical cooperation between the two countries has grown significantly, emphasising that Armenia is an important development cooperation partner for Estonia. Estonia supports both the country’s economic diversification and its digital transformation. 

According to Ambassador Marge Mardisalu-Kahar, practical cooperation between the two countries has intensified markedly in recent years. “Estonia has shared its experience and expertise in the digital field, where Armenia has made rapid progress. Together with ESTDEV, we will continue implementing development cooperation projects in both digital development and strengthening export capacity,” Mardisalu-Kahar said. 

Armenia has clearly expressed its desire to move politically and economically closer to the European Union. Estonia supports the Armenian people’s desire to strengthen ties with the EU and their commitment to strengthening democratic values. 

Armenia is one of Estonia's priority countries for development cooperation 

Estonia has supported Armenia since 2001, and in 2024, Armenia was designated a development cooperation priority country. Over the course of more than 20 years, Estonia has implemented over 70 development cooperation projects in Armenia. 

According to Margus Gering, ESTDEV’s regional head of Europe, the embassy opening in Yerevan is more than just a diplomatic move. “It confirms that our long-term development cooperation with Armenia has reached a stage of maturity where we need a permanent presence. Over 70 projects and more than two decades of cooperation provide a strong foundation for the next chapter,” said Gering. “For ESTDEV, this means closer cooperation and greater impact. It means that we are ready to implement even more ambitious projects with our Armenian partners.” 

Estonia’s priority areas for development cooperation in Armenia are education, e-governance and cybersecurity, support for democracy, and support for business development. In recent years, Estonia and Armenia have collaborated on a successful export training programme that has helped Armenian companies enter new markets. The first Estonian-Armenian cyber exercise also took place this April, during which Armenian public sector IT specialists practised responding to cyberattacks and developed cooperation strategies for crisis situations.