Category: News

Kaveh Zahedi, FAO Assistant Director-General and Director of its Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, said that by hosting events such as COP17, Armenia demonstrates its potential and what it is capable of achieving, adding that the benefits would be felt by the international community for many years to come.

Armenia, which holds the presidency of COP17, will host the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Yerevan on October 19–30.

“My first impressions are excellent. It is clear that COP17 is very well organized. You can feel it as soon as you enter the venue, and it is evident during the discussions. This is important because it lays the foundation for truly meaningful dialogue. In general, progress is at the heart of COP discussions. I think all the conditions have been created for this conference to be very successful,” Zahedi told reporters on the sidelines of the COP17 Leaders’ Summit in Yerevan.

He emphasized that the Armenian side does not want simply to host the event but seeks to initiate practical steps that will continue after COP as well. This concerns the implementation of all the solutions being discussed: how to finance these solutions, how to scale them up, and how to apply them in other places.

“Of course, it is also important to us that Armenia is a significant agricultural country. It has extraordinary genetic diversity in food crops, from ancient grapevines to cereal crops. And I think this is an opportunity to showcase this amazing diversity, food diversity, genetic diversity, biodiversity, and to build the future around it, including through initiatives that we have discussed with Armenian partners. We are interested in how biodiversity can be used sustainably, how resilience can be promoted, and how communities can be supported in matters related to food security,” Zahedi said.

He emphasized that he sees many opportunities for cooperation with Armenia, given the discussions taking place as part of COP17.

“This conference is dedicated to assessing the progress already achieved, and Armenia is also showing how much progress it has made. We help all countries, including Armenia, incorporate international standards into their national systems. The Armenian side must be able to closely monitor its own progress to understand where problems need to be addressed or where more investment is needed. This is very tangible progress that we are supporting by helping establish a detailed monitoring system that will provide a clear picture of the chosen path and the progress being made,” he said.

Zahedi said more investment is needed, particularly in agriculture and food systems, which can bring numerous benefits for food security, biodiversity, and climate change mitigation. He believes that solutions involving the restoration of degraded agricultural land and agroforestry can bring numerous benefits to countries such as Armenia.

“I think the number one challenge or concern at present is food security. It is being undermined for various reasons. One of them, of course, is climate change. Climate change brings unpredictability to our agricultural and food systems. We are witnessing increasingly frequent floods and droughts. There are other challenges related to conflicts in different parts of the world. All of this affects agriculture and food systems. All of this makes life more difficult for farmers and producers. Ultimately, this will have a cascading effect on food, agriculture, food security, and food prices. The key challenges are inextricably linked to biodiversity. It is impossible to separate food, food security, biodiversity, and food diversity from one another,” Zahedi noted.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Leaders’ Summit on Biodiversity, held ahead of COP17 in Yerevan.

The Prime Minister’s Office said in a readout that Pashinyan thanked the Iranian president for accepting the invitation and participating in the summit.

Pashinyan emphasized the frequency of high-level bilateral meetings, adding that this demonstrated the two sides’ desire and commitment to the consistent development of Armenia-Iran relations.

President Pezeshkian also thanked Pashinyan for the invitation and warm hospitality, emphasizing the importance of deepening and expanding multifaceted ties with Armenia.

The sides discussed issues related to the Armenia-Iran cooperation agenda and progress in implementing the agreements reached. They also exchanged views on advancing joint projects.

Pashinyan and Pezeshkian also addressed other issues of mutual interest.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with European Commission Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera.

Ribera highly praised the Leaders’ Summit on Biodiversity being held in Yerevan and emphasized the importance of the topics discussed during the event, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a readout.

The sides discussed matters related to the further development of Armenia–European Union cooperation. In particular, they addressed progress in efforts toward visa liberalization, as well as the further expansion of cooperation in the energy sector.

The sides emphasized the importance of close cooperation in these areas and continued joint efforts.

Armenia decided to host COP17 with a very clear call for action, and international partners have reached an agreement with Armenia on the main issues to be addressed, European Commission Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera told reporters on the sidelines of the Leaders’ Summit ahead of COP17 in Yerevan.

“We know that biodiversity is at the foundation of prosperity, well-being, development, and food security, so we need to make sure that we rely on the right tools to protect or restore nature. This also means relying on resources. Taking this factor into account when financing processes that support biodiversity is extremely important. All of this was also reflected in the very clear call made by the Prime Minister of Armenia to the COP17 delegates,” Ribera said.

She said it is necessary to contribute to addressing global challenges through various means for the sake of the future. This includes, in particular, the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, which provides opportunities to cooperate with partners around the world by promoting bilateral cooperation, as well as through multilateral development instruments and the Global Environment Facility.

“This will be an important way to support regional and national programs implemented across different continents. Ensuring prosperity and development programs and modernizing infrastructure are directly linked to biodiversity and environmental protection. Therefore, consistently addressing issues such as water resource management, habitat protection, and food security, as well as preventing deforestation, is part of what we are trying to do,” the European Commission Executive Vice-President said.

She added that they often have the information needed to make the right decisions and choose infrastructure that coexists harmoniously with nature and the environment. Ribera said it is better to make the right decision at the outset, although practices sometimes emerge that are not consistent with the goals of nature protection and conservation.

“And this is precisely where we need to find ways to eliminate harmful practices and promote cleaner alternatives. The Prime Minister of Armenia gave very concrete examples, showing how important forests and trees have been for heating homes during difficult times, and how crucial forest restoration has been in sustaining people’s livelihoods, drawing on Armenia’s natural environment and mountains,” she said, referring to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s speech at the summit.

“This is exactly what we need to do everywhere, relying on the cleanest alternative to achieve the same goal. This is where cooperation and learning from one another can be extremely useful. Land, water, seas, and ecosystems are assets that no one wants to give up, and we strive to preserve all of them while ensuring our well-being,” Ribera concluded.

The Leaders’ Summit is expected to culminate in the adoption of the Yerevan Call for Action, a concise Political Declaration, reaffirming the central role of biodiversity as the foundation of sustainable development, peace, prosperity, and human well-being. The Declaration will express renewed political commitment to accelerating implementation of the KMGBF, strengthening international cooperation, mobilizing nature-positive finance, promoting policy coherence across sectors, and supporting the global review of progress under the Framework. It will also underscore the need for transformative action, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches and enhanced partnerships among governments, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, youth, women, civil society, academia, business and the financial sector.

Fifty-five percent of global gross domestic product is heavily dependent on nature, European Commission Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera said at the Leaders’ Summit on Biodiversity in Yerevan ahead of COP17.

“Real change is needed at the global level to prevent biodiversity loss. The European Union is accelerating its efforts toward the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The Nature Restoration Regulation establishes clear legal obligations. National restoration plans must be adopted. Plans must be adopted that will increase biodiversity resilience,” Ribera said.

The European Commission Executive Vice-President also stressed that the EU provides substantial financial support worldwide for the development of the blue economy.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stressed the significance of Yerevan hosting COP17 following the end of the more than 30-year conflict with Azerbaijan.

“The domestic impact of the conflict on biodiversity is evident to us,” Pashinyan said at a discussion held as part of the Leaders’ Summit ahead of COP17 in Yerevan.

“This was followed by an energy crisis, which resulted in thousands of hectares of forests being cut down in Armenia, as well as poaching, which essentially brought fish stocks in Lake Sevan to the brink of depletion. Using our region as an example, I can say that the essentially unplanned and uncontrolled construction of defensive and fortification structures along borders creates major problems, including from the perspective of biodiversity. Where forests interfere with defense requirements, those forests are cut down; where other natural environments pose certain problems, those environments are altered. Conflict zones usually contain minefields, and many animals simply blow up on those mines. At some point, we find that certain animal species and parts of the natural environment have simply been destroyed,” Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister emphasized that conflicts often rule out cooperation between countries on biodiversity issues, further amplifying the damage caused.

“Of course, peace and biodiversity are of great importance, both domestically and across borders. Environmental issues are part of the peace process, and after the peace agreement initialed with Azerbaijan is ratified, environmental issues will be addressed more extensively. We are already discussing which areas of environmental protection could be the basis for cooperation. We share rivers that originate in one country and continue through the territory of another. Biodiversity is something that connects countries, and there is great opportunity and potential for cooperation in this area,” the Prime Minister said.

Pashinyan added that Armenia also has no diplomatic relations with its other neighbor, Türkiye, but has considerable experience of cooperation in the environmental field.

“We have a very positive dialogue, and I am confident that we will achieve historic changes in this area as well in the near future. Armenia and Türkiye have experience of cooperation in water resource management. Environmental issues are common to neighboring countries,” Pashinyan said.

Relations between Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are founded on the historically established friendship and mutual respect between their peoples, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in statements to the press following his meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Yerevan.

“We have every basis for giving these relations fresh substance and translating the existing potential for cooperation into practical results. During today’s negotiations, we comprehensively discussed prospects for deepening political dialogue, expanding trade and economic ties, developing transport and logistics links, and cooperating in education, science, innovation and culture.

“In terms of political dialogue, we reaffirmed our readiness to maintain regular contacts at high and the highest levels and intensify cooperation between our foreign ministries and the relevant state bodies,” Pashinyan said.

The Armenian prime minister and Kyrgyz president also discussed strengthening peace, stability and security in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

In this context, they highlighted the importance of the Washington Declaration signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan on 8 August 2025, as well as the state border treaties signed between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

“We are convinced that strengthening regional peace creates new opportunities for economic cooperation and the development of transport links,” Pashinyan stressed.

He added that education, science, technology and the development of young people’s potential were also important areas of cooperation between the two countries.

The two leaders agreed to encourage exchanges of students, lecturers and researchers and develop joint educational programmes and research initiatives, expanding direct links between their countries’ educational and scientific institutions.

“Cultural and humanitarian ties play an important role in bringing our states and peoples closer together. We plan to organise Days of Culture in both countries in 2027 and 2028,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan and Japarov stressed the importance of joint efforts to advance the international environmental agenda. They reaffirmed their support for initiatives promoting sustainable development in mountain regions, climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation.

“In this respect, the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation to protect lakes Sevan and Issyk-Kul between Armenia’s Ministry of Environment and Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision is symbolic. I am confident that the consistent implementation of today’s agreements will deepen bilateral cooperation and strengthen the bonds of friendship between the peoples of Armenia and Kyrgyzstan,” Pashinyan concluded.

Kyrgyzstan is interested in developing friendly ties with Armenia based on mutual respect and a commitment to effective cooperation, President Sadyr Japarov said.

Japarov, who is on an official visit to Armenia, made the remarks in statements to the press following his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

“This visit is of historic significance, as it is the first official visit by a Kyrgyz leader to Armenia. I am confident that its outcomes will give fresh impetus to strengthening friendly ties between our countries and further developing cooperation. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Armenian side on successfully holding the leaders’ summit on biodiversity. The event was organised to a high standard and has become an important platform for developing joint approaches to global environmental challenges.

“Kyrgyzstan is interested in developing friendly ties with Armenia based on mutual respect and a commitment to effective cooperation. I am pleased to note that political dialogue between our countries has become increasingly active in recent years,” Japarov said.

The Kyrgyz president said he and Pashinyan had held substantive and meaningful negotiations, discussing in detail the current state of Kyrgyz–Armenian relations and prospects for their further development.

“It is encouraging that an open and constructive political dialogue has developed between our countries. We see broad opportunities for cooperation in trade, agriculture, information technology, education and tourism. I am convinced that transport cooperation is a particularly important area, and transit opportunities and their expansion will be very important in this regard. I believe we will achieve concrete results in these areas,” Japarov said.

He said one of the most important outcomes of the negotiations was the signing of a substantial package of bilateral documents covering citizens’ movement, pensions, education, science and personal data protection.

“I am confident that the agreements reached will strengthen the legal foundations of our cooperation and open up new prospects for bilateral cooperation. I would particularly like to highlight the document on cooperation to protect lakes Issyk-Kul and Sevan. These unique lakes are priceless natural treasures and an integral part of our peoples’ national heritage, closely connected with their history, culture and lives. Preserving them and passing them on to future generations is our shared collective responsibility,” Japarov concluded.