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Negotiations and related events at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) are actively under way at the Meridian Expo Centre. Discussions are expected to intensify during the ministerial segment scheduled for 27–28 October.
Armenian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Robert Abisoghomonyan told Armenpress that representatives of the Government, including colleagues from the ministries of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Environment, Economy and Finance, were participating in thematic discussions addressing both COP17’s global agenda and issues important to Armenia.
“As I mentioned, negotiations are also taking place in parallel. Our representatives are following the negotiations and continuing discussions with various stakeholders, including outside the negotiating rooms, to build consensus on issues of common interest,” the deputy minister said, assessing the conference’s ongoing work positively.
He said decisions were expected in the coming days, while discussions on both broader topics and the negotiations would intensify during the ministerial segment on 27–28 October.
“We hope to reach consensus and achieve the desired outcome on issues of interest to the Republic of Armenia and all COP17 parties globally,” Abisoghomonyan said.
He stressed that Armenia’s approach to the negotiations was guided by the principle of building consensus among all stakeholders. Much of the work therefore takes place outside the negotiating rooms.
“Inside the rooms, we follow developments, identify contentious issues and the stakeholders involved, and then try to reach consensus outside the negotiating room. We often propose bridging language and sometimes organise small-group discussions among stakeholders to achieve the desired results,” he said.
The deputy minister said Armenia, as the country holding the COP17 presidency, had an important role in building consensus. Negotiations had already begun on all agenda items. Some issues were being discussed in working groups, while contact groups had been established to advance discussions on others.
“There are also priorities and new topics coming to the fore. For example, issues relating to the global review make COP17 in Armenia distinctive. As part of this, the ‘Yerevan Pathway’ initiative is to be adopted, setting out the next steps for implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” he said.
He added that financial issues, matters concerning indigenous peoples and other areas of the agenda were also important, as the decisions adopted would subsequently be reflected in the legislation of the 196 parties and would be binding on them.
Armenia will continue to hold the COP17 presidency for the next two years. During that period, efforts will need to continue to implement the decisions adopted in Armenia.
“The ‘Yerevan Pathway’ initiative will be one of the Republic of Armenia’s most important achievements. We must therefore continue working with all parties to ensure that the outcomes of COP17 in Armenia are subsequently put into practice and help address biodiversity issues and challenges,” he said.
Abisoghomonyan also highlighted Armenian initiatives due to be presented in the coming days during the ministerial segment. These concern incentives harmful to biodiversity, technology, mountains and freshwater, and protected areas.
He said these topics were connected both to the global biodiversity agenda and the review process, while also potentially helping identify solutions to issues important to different countries.
“These initiatives and the discussions taking place within them will seek to propose approaches that help those countries overcome existing challenges. If they succeed, Armenia could have a long-term influence on future biodiversity efforts,” he stressed.
The deputy minister said more than 70 ministerial-level representatives and around 40 deputy ministers had so far confirmed their participation in the ministerial segment on 27–28 October, with the total number of high-level delegations reaching 150.
“I believe this is unprecedented both for the Republic of Armenia and in terms of participation at biodiversity COPs,” he said.
He said ministers’ participation would provide political impetus for resolving the issues under discussion. The ministerial segment is held during the conference’s final days specifically to allow political solutions to be proposed for difficulties arising in the negotiations and to secure support at the appropriate level for ongoing issues.
Discussing Armenia’s central message, Abisoghomonyan said biodiversity issues directly affected people’s everyday lives and therefore deserved close attention.
“A desirable outcome would be for COP17 in Armenia to help resolve biodiversity-related issues, both during the conference and afterwards,” he concluded.