Armenia invites France to participate in the construction of the North-South highway tunnel

YEREVAN, March 6. /ARКА/. New areas of Armenian-French economic cooperation were discussed by Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan and French Minister of Economy, Finance, Industry and Digital Sovereignty Eric Lombard at a meeting in Paris on Thursday.

According to the government press service, the sides looked into the possibility of the French government's participation in financing the construction of a tunnel in Bargushat (in southern Armenia) within the framework of the North-South interstate highway project with the involvement of leading French construction and engineering companies.

Khachatryan and Lombard also discussed ways to increase mutual trade and investment, as well as expand business ties between the private sectors of the two countries.

Highlighting the successful experience of cooperation with French enterprises, Khachatryan considered it necessary to ensure a greater presence of French companies in Armenia, including in terms of attracting new knowledge and developing a business culture.

Having emphasized the deepening of economic ties with Armenia, Lombard assured that the presented projects will remain in the center of attention of the French government and the necessary efforts will be made to implement them. The parties agreed on further steps and forms of cooperation.

The approximate cost of the project to build the southern section of the Sisian-Kajaran highway of the North-South transport corridor is 452 million euros. Financing will be carried out partly by loans from the EBRD, EIB and EFSD, and partly by the Armenian government. 

It is planned to build a new 60 km section of the road, which will increase the speed from 50 km/h to 100 km/h. There will be three-lane roads with asphalt concrete pavement, 5 tunnels (including one in the Bargushat area), 11 bridges, 68 fences and 43 retaining walls. The project is scheduled for completion in November 2032.-0-