On August 5, in Nairobi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Robert Abisoghomonyan participated in and delivered a keynote address at the high-level briefing dedicated to the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), which will take place in Yerevan this October.

In his remarks, the Deputy Foreign Minister presented the progress of preparations for COP17, as well as the priorities and vision of Armenia’s presidency.

Robert Abisoghomonyan also addressed the discussions taking place within the framework of the meetings of the subsidiary bodies of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SBSTTA-28 and SBI-7) in Nairobi, emphasizing their importance for ensuring effective and constructive negotiations during COP17.

The Deputy Foreign Minister stressed that COP17 will be of pivotal importance for the first global review of progress in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), assessing achievements, identifying existing gaps, and outlining the way forward.

Presenting the priorities of Armenia’s presidency, Robert Abisoghomonyan reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to ensuring an open, transparent, and inclusive negotiating process based on the principles of mutual trust, cooperation, and mutual respect.

The Deputy Foreign Minister drew participants’ attention to the Leaders’ Summit to be held on October 16 ahead of COP17, as well as to the high-level ministerial segment planned within the framework of the Conference. He emphasized the importance of ensuring high-level participation in these events in order to provide the necessary political impetus to the biodiversity agenda and achieve practical results.

Concluding his remarks, Robert Abisoghomonyan noted that the principal challenge facing the international community is not the formulation of new ambitions, but the practical implementation of commitments already undertaken. He stressed that this  approach is reflected in the motto of Armenia’s presidency: “Taking Action for Nature.”