Armenia To Host UN Biodiversity Conference In 2026

Armenia will host the next United Nations biodiversity conference in 2026, according to the environment minister of Armenia.

Hakob Simidyan said on Friday that Armenia was selected as the host for the conference, also known as COP17, with 65 votes. The other candidate was Azerbaijan, which is set to host a UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) later this month.

During his working visit to Colombia earlier this week, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan addressed the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Cali, stating that holding COP17 in Armenia will be “an excellent opportunity to advance multilateral efforts to protect global biodiversity.”

“Armenia will spare no effort to make sure that the COP17 will be another important milestone in our global efforts for biodiversity preservation and sustainable use of natural resources,” Khachaturyan said.

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity will bring together world leaders, environmental experts, and representatives from nearly 200 countries to discuss global biodiversity goals, climate resilience, and sustainable development initiatives. The conference will focus on implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed upon in COP15, with particular emphasis on halting biodiversity loss and restoring ecosystems by 2030. Hosting COP17 will place Armenia at the forefront of the global biodiversity agenda, offering a platform to showcase its unique ecosystems and ongoing conservation efforts.