On August 6, within the framework of the Seventh Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SBI-7), the delegation led by Aram Meymaryan, Deputy Minister of Environment of the RA, held a working meeting with representatives of the Ecosystems Division of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The UNEP delegation was led by Susan Gardner, Director of the Ecosystems Division. Heads of specialized units of the Division and the UNEP Global Environment Outlook (GEO) also participated in the meeting.
During the meeting, the scope of expert and technical assistance already provided by UNEP in the preparation and organization of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), as well as possible further assistance, was discussed.
In particular, the current support programmes, processes planned within the framework of the COP17 Presidency, the involvement of youth and the private sector, as well as opportunities to support the organization of the thematic event "Mountains and Freshwater Day" were discussed.
The parties also discussed the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the development and implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), the preparation of national reports, the potential for synergies within the framework of Global Environment Facility programmes, as well as opportunities for cooperation within the framework of the Cali Fund and the Kunming Biodiversity Fund.
At the end of the meeting, the importance of continued working cooperation with UNEP was emphasized in order to develop specific support mechanisms and joint initiatives in line with the country's priorities in the run-up to COP17 and during Armenia's Presidency.