Aram Meymaryan, Deputy Minister of Environment of the RA, received representatives of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Madeleine Rauschenberger, Country Director of the GIZ Armenia Office, and Dr. Sonja Kurz, who will soon take up the position of Head of the GIZ Armenia Office.
During the meeting, the current and prospective areas of cooperation between the Ministry of Environment of the RA and GIZ were discussed, as well as the preparatory work for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which will be held in Armenia in October 2026.
Aram Meymaryan thanked Madeleine Rauschenberger for the fruitful cooperation, highly appreciating GIZ’s support in the areas of environmental programmes, climate initiatives, biodiversity conservation and capacity building. He wished her success in her future professional activities and welcomed Sonja Kurz, expressing confidence that the cooperation would continue to develop.
The organizational and substantive preparations for COP17 were discussed, including awareness-raising among representatives of various sectors, the development of national initiatives, the organization of high-level political and sectoral discussions, as well as issues related to the logistical arrangements for the conference.
The Deputy Minister presented Armenia’s vision as the host country of COP17, emphasizing that Armenia, located at the crossroads of two global biodiversity hotspots, has a unique opportunity to present its rich natural heritage to the international community and contribute to global dialogue on biodiversity conservation.
The meeting also touched upon the role of innovative technologies in environmental protection. In particular, the Seaside Summit initiative, planned with the involvement of technology start-ups, was discussed. The initiative aims to promote the development of innovative solutions to nature conservation and environmental challenges.
The parties reaffirmed their mutual commitment to continuing cooperation, effectively implementing joint programmes and ensuring the successful organization of COP17.