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The work of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity officially began in Yerevan.
Armenia’s Minister of Environment, Hambardzum Matevosyan, was elected COP17 President for a two-year term at the conference’s opening plenary session, assuming responsibility for leading the international community’s collective efforts.
“I thank the Parties to the Convention for their trust in Armenia and in me. I assume this responsibility with a commitment to serve all Parties impartially, ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, and turn our collective efforts into tangible results,” Matevosyan said in a social media post.
“In my opening remarks, I emphasized that we have a unique opportunity in Yerevan to assess the progress made in biodiversity conservation and agree on concrete next steps. To achieve the targets set for 2030, we need to accelerate our work, turning our commitments into real change. Armenia’s presidency will be guided by the principles of open dialogue, inclusiveness and mutual respect. Our task is to bridge differences, build consensus and ensure everyone’s participation, from governments to young people and from the scientific community to the private sector. May Yerevan become a milestone where shared commitments are transformed into joint action for nature and for present and future generations,” he added.