Тwo referendums on the issue of independence took place this autumn, within a week from each other: in Iraqi Kurdistan on September 25 and in Catalonia on October 1. Obviously, there are as many differences between the two cases as there are differences between the current political situation in the Middle East and in Western Europe. And yet, it is hard to ignore some striking similarities between the two cases.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s disputed victory in the referendum has made Turkey more unpredictable than it was before April 16, both in terms of its internal stability and its foreign policy.

Will the political regime of the Fifth Republic, introduced by the General de Gaulle in 1958, survive the presidential elections? By eliminating the two traditional parties in the second round, this election has confirmed the end of bipartisanism in France. The duel between the two finalist candidates, who both present themselves as being “outside of the system”, constitutes a true upheaval in the history of French political life, reinforcing a true need for change.

Peter Edwards has been living in Armenia since August 2016. He talks about his experience working with the Citizen Observer Initiative and his impressions of Armenia’s parliamentary elections that were held on April 2nd 2017.

Regional Post talked to a senior partner in McKinsey & Company consulting firm, Co-founder and Trustee of Repat Armenia Foundation and Arar Foundation Avetik Chalabyan about challenges that Diaspora and Armenia face in 21st century and his vision of nation’s future.

During 25 years of Armenia’s membership to the United Nations, the organization has collaborated with a number of Armenian ministries, agencies, international and non-governmental organizations, to contribute to Armenia’s development and progress. Below, UN partners tell us about their cooperation and accomplishments.

Twenty-five years ago, the Armenian flag was raised at the headquarters of the United Nations – a landmark moment in the history of Armenia’s independence. The pursuit of lasting peace, development and respect for human rights have since laid down the principles and objectives, which continue to define Armenia’s engagement with the world. Within the United Nations, through various forms and formats of participation, Armenia has been consistently working to advance international cooperation, in the face of complex challenges and threats.

Exclusive interview with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov on Russian-Armenian relations and situation in the region in general.

Son of military officer, Igor Sargsyan had always dreamed of becoming a soldier. First he entered the Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan and then went to Italy – to continue his studies at the Italian Military Academy. After graduation, Igor was sent to Lebanon as part of the UN peacekeeping mission.

On the 25th of September 2015, during a historic United Nations summit in New York, more than 150 world leaders signed a document, which defined to a great extent the direction humanity intends to move towards. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development proposed an ambitious plan to transform the world.