Armenia outlines preparations for COP17 in Yerevan

(Horizon Media) – Armenia’s Minister of Environment, Hambardzum Matevosyan, held a meeting with representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in the country to brief them on ongoing preparations for the upcoming COP17 conference.

According to the minister, the meeting marked the second such gathering in this format, aimed at maintaining open and constructive engagement with international partners. He presented progress to date and outlined next steps, underscoring Armenia’s stated commitment to organizing the conference in line with principles of transparency, inclusiveness, and strong environmental ambition.

Matevosyan said the goal is for COP17 to serve as a meaningful milestone in advancing the global biodiversity and sustainable development agenda. He also pointed to recent international and legislative developments that underpin the process, including outcomes from meetings in Montreal and Armenia’s ratification of the Nagoya Protocol.

During the session, Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Abisoghomonyan emphasized the importance of the planned leaders’ summit ahead of COP17, describing it as an opportunity to reinforce high-level political commitments.

Participants were also presented with detailed updates on logistical and organizational preparations. A video unveiling the conference’s official logo was screened, followed by a discussion with attendees.

Matevosyan stressed that the Yerevan conference should help shift international efforts on biodiversity from pledges toward concrete action, adding that Armenia intends to work closely with partners to deliver measurable outcomes.

The 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) is scheduled to take place at the Meridian Expo Center in Yerevan from October 18 to 30, 2026.