At an Armenian governmental consultative meeting today to assess the country’s demographic condition, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that the matter must be viewed in the context of Armenia’s overall socio-economic situation.

The country’s worsening demographic plight has been a challenge faced by successive Armenian governments.

Pashinyan, according to an Armenian government press release, said that recent economic reforms enacted by his government should result in overall economic growth and, consequently, an improvement in the demographic situation.

The prime minister noted the existence of “peculiarities and nuances” that also impact demographic trends. The press release does not say if Pashinyan specified what these subjective factors are.

“Thus, during today’s discussion, we will talk about the likely influences on the overall situation as well as possible specific programs and their impact. We don’t only see the resolution solely based on economic success but will attempt to understand what specific and targeted steps can be taken in the overall process to improve the demographic picture,” Pashinyan said.

Speakers, including Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Zaruhi Batoyan and Demographic Committee Chairman Stepan Mnatsakanyan, noted that as of December 2018, Armenia’s permanent population was 2,972,000.

They said that a positive demographic change has been observed in the country and pointed to data showing that there was a surplus of 15,313 individuals entering as opposed to leaving the country in 2018, whereas in 2017 the number was minus 26,897.

They also pointed to a decreasing rate of deaths and divorces and a slight uptick in the natural growth rate.

They claimed that the disparity in boy/girl births has shrunk. In 2013 the ratio was 115 boys to 100 girls. In 2018, the ratio was 111 boys to 100 girls.

Pashinyan is also said to have called for the creation of a national demographic council under his leadership.