From 1 to 3 July 2026, Aram Meymaryan, Deputy Minister of Environment of the RA, participated in the 9th session of the Committee on Environment and Development of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), where regional environmental priorities, the sustainable development agenda, and opportunities for expanding cooperation were discussed.
During the ministerial roundtable, Aram Meymaryan presented Armenia’s priorities as the COP17 Presidency, emphasizing that the focus of the international community should be on the effective implementation of existing commitments.
He outlined the main priorities of the COP17 Presidency, including the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the successful conduct of the first global review, and the promotion of inclusive and action-oriented cooperation.
The Deputy Minister also highlighted the importance of strengthening synergies among the three Rio Conventions, presenting Armenia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) and National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan as key elements of an integrated environmental policy. Participants were also invited to take part in CBD COP17, which will be held in Yerevan in October 2026.
Aram Meymaryan also delivered a dedicated statement on integrated climate action and the importance of blue carbon ecosystems, emphasizing nature-based solutions, regional cooperation, and integrated environmental policies.
During the visit, the Deputy Minister held bilateral meetings with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of ESCAP; Shina Ansari, Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Head of the Environmental Protection Organization; and Yevgeniy Zhukov, Director General of the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department of the Asian Development Bank.
The discussions focused on expanding environmental cooperation, the protection of Lake Sevan, monitoring of the Araks River, biodiversity conservation, and joint initiatives within the framework of COP17.
At the conclusion of the session, the “Ministerial Declaration on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific 2026” and the “Regional Programme of Action on Advancing Synergies for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific, 2026–2030” were adopted.