Ara Mkrtchyan, Deputy Minister of Environment of the RA, delivered a speech at the UN Regional Ecological Summit held in Astana.
Within the framework of the summit, the countries of Central Asia launched the “Harmony with Nature for the Benefit of Sustainable Development of the Region” initiative.
Deputy Minister Ara Mkrtchyan addressed the summit on behalf of Hambardzum Matevosyan, President of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
In his speech, the Deputy Minister welcomed the launch of the regional initiative, emphasizing that it reflects the political will of Central Asian countries to strengthen cooperation in biodiversity conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources.
Ara Mkrtchyan noted that, while the region possesses unique ecosystems and rich biodiversity, it also faces challenges such as climate change and land degradation, which require coordinated and joint action.
He emphasized that the development of regional programmes and action plans under the initiative would enable more effective implementation of the goals of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, while also promoting the exchange of knowledge and best practices among countries of the region.
The Deputy Minister also referred to the upcoming 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to be held in Armenia in October, noting that it would serve as an important platform for assessing global progress and deepening international cooperation.
It was also noted that the Leaders’ Summit scheduled for 16 October would provide an opportunity to present regional initiatives, including the “Harmony with Nature” initiative, as contributions to the global environmental agenda.
The summit also addressed issues related to strengthening regional cooperation in biodiversity conservation, the implementation of joint programmes, and the pooling of financial and technical resources.
Armenia, as the host country of COP17, expressed its readiness to support the promotion of the initiative and enhance its international visibility.