Armenia is hosting the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) in Yerevan from 19 to 30 October 2026. The Leaders’ Summit took place on 16 October, followed by the formal opening ceremony on 18 October. The initial meetings produced the Yerevan Declaration, an international conservation funding pledge, bilateral agreements with Kyrgyzstan and diplomatic engagements with regional and European partners. The conference will also serve as a global review of progress under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which sets targets for halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.

The Leaders’ Summit on 16 October adopted the, calling for accelerated action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and achieve the goal of living in harmony with nature by 2050. The declaration calls for stronger ecosystem protection and restoration, improved biodiversity monitoring, increased public and private financing, and broader cooperation among governments, scientific institutions, local communities and businesses. Armenian Environment Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan described the document as political support for the negotiations ahead, emphasising the need to turn existing commitments into measurable results. The summit also produced for threatened-species recovery. Nine private donors committed to aligning the funding by 2030 for conservation programmes in more than 100 countries. Separately, Armenia and Colombia launched the government-led Coalition of Action to Recover Endangered Species (CARES), bringing together 17 founding countries to implement the biodiversity framework’s target on preventing extinctions and recovering threatened species.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, warning that more than one million species face the risk of extinction. “We need more action, more speed, and more will,” he stated, calling for stronger public investment and participation by Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, young people and civil society. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian focused on the environmental consequences of armed conflict, that warfare destroys forests, fertile land, wetlands and water resources. Guterres stressed the need for effective international mechanisms to protect biodiversity during wartime, warning that environmental damage caused by military aggression affects future generations.

Mining was another major issue raised by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the in Tsaghkadzor on 17 October. Pashinyan called for Armenia’s mining industry to meet the highest environmental standards, acknowledging that steps had been taken but that the problem remained unresolved. He proposed that mining become a pioneer in developing public share ownership in Armenia, including through stock-exchange listings intended to improve corporate transparency and allow more citizens to become shareholders. In addition, Pashinyan said Armenia needed to reassess its mineral resources with international partners and expand geological exploration of metallic and non-metallic deposits. The Prime Minister framed environmental standards and public confidence as important for the sector and Armenia’s broader international standing. At the opening ceremony on 18 October, Pashinyan returned to the need for implementation, that only four years remained until the 2030 biodiversity targets. He called on governments to identify gaps in progress and agree on priority actions. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan Armenia’s COP17 presidency as an opportunity to build trust, bridge differences and advance a common agenda through inclusive negotiations.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov’s official visit on 16-17 October. Armenia and Kyrgyzstan signed a 2027-2029 cooperation roadmap and agreements covering reciprocal visits and stays by citizens, education, science and personal data protection. The most direct environmental agreement was a memorandum on protecting Lakes Sevan and Issyk-Kul. It envisages scientific data exchanges, joint study and monitoring of lake ecosystems, conservation of native fish species, pollution prevention and assessment of climate-change impacts. The two governments also supported Armenia’s proposed Yerevan Platform on Mountains and Related Freshwater Ecosystems. Japarov invited Pashinyan to Kyrgyzstan for the second Global Mountain Summit, “Bishkek+25,” in 2027.

Regional diplomacy featured prominently alongside the environmental agenda. Pashinyan met Pezeshkian to discuss bilateral relations, implementation of existing agreements and joint projects. According to Mirzoyan, a strategic cooperation document with Iran was and would be signed at a suitable opportunity. The foreign minister also addressed Iranian concerns about the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), that Yerevan had provided assurances that the project would not involve an American armed presence along the route. Mirzoyan also UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany on the sidelines of the Leaders’ Summit on 16 October. Their discussions focused on cooperation between Armenia and UNESCO in education, culture and the preservation of cultural heritage. Mirzoyan vocalized Armenia’s interest in participating actively in UNESCO programmes and initiatives, while the organisation’s role in strengthening mutual trust and promoting regional cooperation was also remarked upon.

Türkiye’s Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli attended the Leaders’ Summit and voiced Ankara’s support for peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus. Yumakli emphasized that normalisation between Türkiye and Armenia had gained new momentum since March 2026. Separately, Armenian Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan met Yumakli to consider the practical conditions for direct trade, including transport and transit procedures for goods subject to sanitary and veterinary controls. The covered implementation issues, rather than producing a new normalisation agreement.

European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera also met Pashinyan to discuss the links between biodiversity, economic development, food security and financing. The included the EU’s Global Gateway initiative and the Global Environment Facility as potential channels for supporting environmental programmes. Pashinyan further identified environmental protection as a potential area of future cooperation with Azerbaijan, saying that ecological challenges create common interests between neighbouring countries. Pashinyan expressed enthusiasm that cooperation on biodiversity could expand following the signing of a peace treaty.