French envoy milks cow in Armenian village as part of agricultural support visit VIDEO

French Ambassador to Armenia Olivier Decottignies recently took part in a hands-on agricultural experience, milking a cow in the village of Khachakhpur (Chakhirli - ed.) in the Gegharkunik region (Bashkend - ed.).

Sharing his experience on social media, Decottignies noted: “I learned about cow milking techniques from Mrs. Galstyan and her cow Sona, which was purchased with the support of the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII).”

Գեղարքունիքի Խաչաղբյուր գյուղում։

➡️ Ծանոթացա կով կթելու տեխնիկային տիկին Գալստյանի և նրա կովի՝ Սոնայի հետ, որը ձեռք է բերվել Ֆրանսիայի ներգաղթի և ինտեգրման գրասենյակի (OFII) աջակցությամբ՝ սատարելու նրա հայրենիք վերադարձը։ pic.twitter.com/y403Qo2Zdo

— Olivier Decottignies (@O_Decottignies) July 25, 2025

Olivier Decottignies has served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Armenia since July 21, 2023. He succeeded Anne Louyot, who had led the French diplomatic mission in Yerevan since August 2021. 

Decottignies has held numerous high-level posts throughout his career. From 2015 to 2016, he was a diplomat in residence at The Washington Institute. Between 2012 and 2015, he served as second counsellor at the French Embassy in Iran, where he focused on the nuclear file and Tehran’s regional policies. Earlier, he worked at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris, concentrating on political-military affairs, including NATO and European Union operations in Libya, the Balkans, and the Caucasus.

By Tamilla Hasanova