Armenia To Host UN Biodiversity Conference In 2026

YEREVAN — Armenia will host the next United Nations biodiversity conference in 2026, according to the country’s environment minister.

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 spear no effort to make sure that the CO17 will be another important milestone in our global efforts for biodiversity preservation and sustainable use of natural resources,” Khachaturian said.

UNDP Country Office in Armenia has congratulated Armenia on being selected to host Biodiversity COP17 in 2026.

“Hosting COP17 offers a remarkable opportunity for Armenia to demonstrate and further advance its commitments to preserving our planet’s invaluable biodiversity,” UNDP said.

“We are confident that Armenia will be an exceptional host, fostering meaningful dialogue and collaboration among all participants towards this important cause,” the Office added.