What in Armenia is worth investing in: Forbes

PanARMENIAN.Net - The countries of the post-Soviet space are very diverse in their economic characteristics - some of them resemble Russia in some periods of development, some have chosen their own economic path, which has nothing to do with the Russian model, Forbes.ru says.

CIS countries, which have assets traded on international financial markets, can be divided into three groups, according to the article. Georgia and Kazakhstan have the most favorable prospects. The economic models of Armenia and Belarus are not so developed, but prospects for coming years are also quite positive. And finally, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Tajikistan may face certain difficulties, according to the analysis.

So How can Armenia attract investors?

Armenia is the direct beneficiary of higher commodity prices and has the closest ties with the restored economy of Russia - GDP growth in Armenia (7.5%) in 2017 was significantly higher than the IMF and other market participants expected.

The main concerns about the Armenian economy are usually related to the currency.

“However, we should not exaggerate these risks. Armenia has improved the current account deficit from 8% of GDP in 2012 to only 2-3% in 2016-2017 - a very interesting case of improving foreign trade balances without currency devaluation,” the article says.

"Even if it does grow to 3-4%, further weakening of currency is not required.”