Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan received Olivier Decottignies, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of France to the Republic of Armenia.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the preparatory work for the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), addressing organizational processes, formats for engaging participating countries, as well as joint steps aimed at ensuring the effective organization of the conference.
The Minister emphasized that Armenia, as the host country, is committed to delivering a high-level, inclusive and results-oriented conference, contributing to the advancement of the global biodiversity conservation agenda.
He also highlighted France’s active role and potential involvement in both the organizational and substantive processes of COP17, particularly in the areas of expert support, stakeholder engagement and international initiatives.
Ambassador Decottignies presented the appointment of Annie Dakmejian, an expert nominated by the French Agency for Development Cooperation (Expertise France), as the person responsible for stakeholder engagement and outreach.
The Minister welcomed the initiative, underscoring the importance of effective communication and broad participation for the success of the conference. Annie Dakmejian will be involved in the organizational work of COP17.
During the meeting, the parties reaffirmed the high level of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of environmental protection and climate policy, as well as their readiness to continue joint efforts aimed at the successful organization of the conference.