YEREVAN (Armenpress)–The much-anticipated Diaspora Ministry began its activities Wednesday, when the department working within the Foreign Ministry became a full-fledged ministry of its own, tasked with developing, maintaining and governing Armenia’s relations with its vast Diaspora.
President Serzh Sarkisian issued a decree Wednesday appointing Hranoush Hakopyan as the Diaspora Minister. She has been an active figure in Armenian politics since Armenia’s independence and has been presiding over the Diaspora Relations Department since June.
Born on April 12, 1954 in the village of Sarukhan in Gavar province, Hakobian has been an active figure in Armenian politics, serving consecutive terms as a Republican deputy in the National Assembly since Armenia declared independence. At different points in her political career she has served in the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health Care and Social Affairs, the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth, and the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations.
Hakobian holds a law degree from the Academy of Public Sciences and a Mathematics degree from the Department of Applied Mathematics in Yerevan State University. She is a lecturer at Gavar State University and a member of the board of Yerevan State University’s Linguistic Campus
She was appointed to head the Foreign Ministry’s department of Diaspora relations on June 27, 2008 until the department was dissolved and reconstituted as a full-fledged government ministry.
