Armenpress: High level of security ensured at COP17, no incidents reported tha

Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and partner agencies, the COP17 conference was held with a high level of security and without incidents.

Organizing large-scale international events requires comprehensive security measures, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia said in a statement.

From October 19 to 30, the Republic of Armenia hosted the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), which stood out for its scale, international representation, and the scope of the security measures required.

The headquarters established to ensure the security of the conference was headed by Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan. Under the coordination of the headquarters, the Police and Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in cooperation with the UN Security and Safety Service and domestic partner agencies, implemented comprehensive measures aimed at maintaining public order, ensuring the safety of participants, and preventing possible emergency situations.

“The security component of COP17 was, in fact, a very important commitment for the Republic of Armenia because, given the large number of people and the representation of different countries, it was natural that we needed more meticulous planning of our work. As a result of detailed planning with partner agencies, we were able to create a security environment that would allow our participants to focus primarily on the substantive aspects of COP17,” Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan said.

Preparatory work to ensure the security of the conference had begun months in advance. Following joint discussions between Armenian officials and representatives of the UN Security and Safety Service, the main areas of cooperation were identified, and the responsibilities of the agencies involved and the priorities for implementing security measures were clarified.

“I can confidently say that our cooperation, which began about six months ago, has been conducted at a high level from the very first days. Despite language differences, as well as different work rules and procedures, we encountered no communication difficulties. We managed to combine our efforts, work with a unified approach and, through effective cooperation, contribute to ensuring the safety of all staff and participants at this important event,” said Ismet Bajramovic, the conference’s security officer.

Joint practical exercises involving the personnel and resources of the Police and Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were also an important part of the preparatory work. During the exercises, hypothetical scenarios were simulated, the readiness and operational response capabilities of the units were assessed, and mechanisms for coordinating joint actions were improved.

The Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs played a key role in ensuring the security of the conference. Measures were implemented to maintain public order, ensure the safety of participants and prevent possible offenses.

Particular attention was paid to the professional training of the units involved, the effective deployment of personnel and resources, and improving their ability to act swiftly and in a coordinated manner in various situations.

Edgar Petrosyan, Head of the Public Order Maintenance and Public Security Department of the Police Guard, said the event had been an important and valuable experience for the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“I am pleased to note that, as a result of joint and coordinated efforts, no security-related problems or incidents were recorded throughout the event,” he said.

Another important aspect of ensuring the conference’s security was preventing possible emergency situations and maintaining readiness to respond to them effectively.

The Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs carried out comprehensive work in this area. During the preparatory phase, possible risks were assessed, and measures were taken to enhance the readiness of rescue personnel and resources and organize prompt responses in emergency situations.

According to Armine Hayrapetyan, Deputy Head of the Operational Management Center 112 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, round-the-clock service was provided throughout the event to ensure fire safety, with the involvement of fire and rescue vehicles and crews. To ensure nuclear and radiation safety, two main vehicle inspection points were set up, along with individual screening points within the security zone.

The work carried out to ensure COP17’s security was also important in terms of exchanging international experience and developing professional capacities.

The measures implemented jointly by the Police and Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and UN security specialists helped improve cooperation mechanisms and increase the effectiveness of security operations.

Thus, the safe conduct of COP17 was a significant achievement resulting from the coordinated efforts and professional preparedness of state agencies and international partners.

It once again demonstrated the capacity of Armenia’s internal security system to ensure the safe conduct of large-scale international events and properly fulfill the country’s international commitments, reaffirming that Armenia is among the safest countries in the world.