Armenian Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Narek Mkrtchyan and Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) Board Chairman Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met in the Saudi capital Riyadh on January 30 to discuss the “LEAP Forward: Lifelong Education and Advancement Program for Women”, which was approved by the AGFUND board in December 2024

The project, to be implemented in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Armenian Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, will support women's economic empowerment, especially within marginalized groups, in Armenia.

Both parties, according to an AGFUND press release, emphasized the importance of gender-supportive policies and the sustainable impact of these programs, also highlighting AGFUND’s support for the Global Food Security Initiative, which seeks to combat desertification and enhance resource sustainability.