Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Arsen Torosyan met with Monica Sandri, representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Armenia, to discuss housing and employment issues for those forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.
The two discussed joint programs in labor and social protection, along with a number of initiatives supporting forcibly displaced persons, including the provision of social housing and efforts to strengthen the economic potential of women.
Torosyan emphasized that ensuring proper living conditions for displaced compatriots remains a key priority for the authorities.
For her part, Monica Sandri highlighted the effective cooperation established between the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and UNHCR, expressing readiness to further deepen that partnership.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh, heavily shelling the region. A day later, on September 20, the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh agreed to a ceasefire proposed by Russian peacekeepers, under the terms of which they accepted Baku’s conditions, including the disbandment of the local defense forces and the dissolution of the republic. From September 24, forced displacement began, and over 100,000 Armenians fled to Armenia. As of current estimates, only about 20 Armenians remain in Nagorno-Karabakh. On September 28, Artsakh President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree on dissolving the Republic, effective January 1, 2024. However, on October 19, he issued a second decree declaring the earlier information about dissolution invalid.
