Smart Nation: A Blueprint for Modern Armenia - Second Edition
London: Gomidas Institute, 2025,
xx + 164 pages, maps, photos, illustrations, index
ISBN 978-1-909382-83-1, paperback,
Price: UK£18.00 / US$22.00 / AUD$35.00
To order please contact books@gomidas.org
CONTENTS
Author’s Note (ix)
Foreword (xi)
Maps (xii)
Acronyms (xiv)
Chapter One: Silicon Mountain (1)
Artificial Intelligence: Untapped Opportunity (3)
National AI Plan & Minister for AI (5)
National Office of AI (6)
Advisory Council on AI (7)
AI Education and Skills (8)
Global AI Action Summit (9)
Electric Vehicles (EVs) (9)
Chapter Two: Smart Foreign Affairs (13)
360 Degree Foreign Policy (13)
Turkey: Diplomatic Crossroads (15)
Iran – the Strategic Partner (20)
Russia – The Case for Recalibration (25)
India – Emerging Partner (28)
United States: The Delicate Balance (30)
China: The Silk Road Reimagined (32)
Georgia: Unnatural Rival (35)
European Union: Cautious Embrace (37)
Azerbaijan – Peace at What Price? (39)
S20: Opportunity to Lead (43)
Soft Power (45)
Chapter Three: Women and Wellbeing (51)
Women’s Rights (51)
Happiness and Morale (53)
Creating a Sense of Urgency (55)
Chapter Four: The Modern Fortress (57)
Armenia’s Iron Dome (57)
Porcupine Defence Plan (60)
Intelligence (61)
Military Service (65)
Chapter Five: Improved Governance (69)
Unfinished business of combating corruption (69)
e-Goverment (71)
Cost of Living (73)
Chapter Six: Stimulating Growth – the Next Economic Chapter (75)
Tourism (75)
Regional Tourism (77)
Visa Reforms (78)
Airline Connectivity (78)
Cargo Logistics (80)
Medical Tourism (81)
Investment (82)
Public Transport (86)
Chapter Seven: Smart Management of Natural Resources (89)
Towards responsible mining (89)
Water: A Strategic Resource (91
Chapter Eight: Tax Reform (95)
Citizen Based Taxation (95)
Levies and Expatriates (96)
Chapter Nine: The Art of the Deal (99)
Chapter Ten: The Diaspora Reimagined (105)
Preservation of Western Armenian (106)
Diaspora-Armenia Relations (107)
Chapter Eleven: Trust in Government (115)
Historical Landscape (115)
International Comparisons (117)
Real Armenia doctrine should be One Armenia (118)
Chapter Twelve: Human Capital (121)
Conclusion (125)
Acknowledgements (127)
Smart Nation – First Edition Recommendations and Predictions (129)
Smart Nation – Second Edition Recommendations and Predictions (134)
Endnotes (137)
Photographs (151)
About the Author (162)
Index (163)
Smart Nation: A Blueprint for Modern Armenia – Second Edition is a timely exploration of Armenia’s future at a critical crossroads. Building on the groundbreaking first edition—where over 70 percent of its recommendations were adopted in full or in part—this new edition goes further, tackling the urgent questions of technology, diplomacy, security, and prosperity in an era of uncertainty with new insights, bold strategies, and visionary ideas that could help shape Armenia’s tomorrow.
"Smart Nation is a timely and thought-provoking book that is a must read for those interested in the future of Armenia and peace and stability in the South Caucasus. Its focus on state building and how that can be advanced through the pursuit of coherent and effective domestic and foreign policies on the part of the Armenian government, including the role of the Armenian Diaspora, is worthy of serious consideration.”
-- Ambassador Edward P Djerejian
"A thoughtful contribution to the debate about Armenia’s future at a time of enormous regional and global uncertainty.”
-- Ian Bremmer, President and Founder of Eurasia Group
"Armenia stands at the crossroads of ambition and opportunity against a backdrop of international conflict with a special focus on the Caucasus. In this expanded second edition of Smart Nation, Sassoon Grigorian presents a realistic roadmap for Armenia to navigate the diplomatic maze; to gamer its incredibly potent natural, human, and intellectual resources both within it and the diaspora. This edition again reflects the expertise and experience which Sassoon Grigorian has in international politics and economics. One should heed his words of wisdom.”
- Stepan Kerkyasharian AO Hon. D Litt.
About the Author: Sassoon Grigorian is a leading government affairs and public policy professional in the technology sector, advising global businesses that have disrupted existing business models.
With more than twenty five years of public policy experience, Sassoon has worked for four Fortune 500 companies, one of the globe’s largest public affairs consultancies, and served as a political adviser in Government.
Public policy campaigns initiated by Sassoon have been recipients of several awards including Public Relations and Communication Association (PRCA) Asia Pacific; Information Technology Industry Council (ITI); and The Gold Standard Awards.
Sassoon has served on numerous industry boards and associations, including Armenian community organisations. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) from Macquarie University and Masters in International Relations from the University of New South Wales.
Sassoon has travelled to Armenia around ten times since 1997 and has three sons.
Smart Nation: A Blueprint for Modern Armenia was first written and published in 2016.