"Zhoghovurd" daily writes:
"Zhoghovurd" daily newspaper, studying the RA government's 2021-2026 the implementation of the provision provided by the program, which promised to take steps in the direction of establishing the "Made in Armenia" brand, increasing the representation and recognition of Armenian producers in international markets, sent a request to the RA Ministry of Economy to find out what specific measures have been implemented since 2021, whether an official concept, strategy, logo or brand book has been developed, how much funding has been allocated, what contracts have been signed and what measurable results have been recorded.
However, from the ministry's response, it is clear that a systematic and well-financed program for the establishment of the "Made in Armenia" brand established by the government program was not actually implemented. The Ministry of Economy informed: "In response to your request of April 14, 2026, we inform you that in order to establish the "Made in Armenia" brand in 2021, the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia planned to implement a relevant contract, which was later canceled by the ministry, and is not within the given scope. was signed and no programmatic payment was made from the state budget." In other words, the ministry actually records that the event planned for the establishment of the "Made in Armenia" brand was canceled, no contract was signed, and no programmatic payment was made from the state budget.
At the same time, the ministry informed that only limited works were carried out within the framework of the initiative in 2021. "At the same time, we inform that limited public awareness, information and organizational works were carried out within the framework of the said initiative in 2021.
For the above purpose, 558,420 drams were spent within the framework of the contract signed with "Marog Marketing" LLC," the ministry said. This answer is remarkable in the sense that the government's plan was not about one-time awareness or organizational work, but about the establishment of the "Made in Armenia" brand. Meanwhile, according to the data presented by the Ministry, no clear state strategy, approved concept, separate brand policy or measurable results have been presented in this direction from 2021 to now. The Ministry also stated in its response that within the framework of the international activities, in 2021-2025, Armenian textile industry companies participated in the national pavilion format at A+A in Germany, Texworld and Who's Next in France. According to the Ministry, this participation was aimed at increasing the recognition of Armenian brands, promoting exports, establishing direct connections with international buyers, as well as entering new markets.
It was also noted that in cooperation with the International Trade Center (ITC), a guide to participation in exhibitions and a brand book of a unified Armenian pavilion were developed, which are already being used. To what extent are the participation in exhibitions and the brand book of the unified pavilion equivalent to the establishment of the "Made in Armenia" brand planned by the government program? The ministry's response lacks the basic data that would allow to assess the effectiveness of the program: how many producers were included, what markets were opened, what contracts were signed, what export growth was recorded, or what measurable impact all this had on the international recognition of Armenian products. Moreover, the ministry's response shows that "Made in Armenia" as a nationwide brand policy was not implemented, but remained at the level of partial, fragmented actions. On the one hand, the government has promised a policy to introduce and make Armenian products known in the international markets, on the other hand, the ministry is talking about a canceled event, an unsealed contract and the cost of only 558,420 drams. In fact, the government's program statement about the establishment of the "Made in Armenia" brand, at least as of now, has not received a systematic implementation that could be presented as a full-fledged state policy.
The Ministry's response does not contain a complete picture of the approved strategy, complete concept, separate financing, tenders, contracts and measurable results. In other words, the promise fixed in the government program remained at the level of a grand formulation, and in practice, limited organizational works and participation in international exhibitions are presented. This is more of a failure than a consistent and measurable state program for the establishment of the "Made in Armenia" national brand."
