Aram Meymaryan, Deputy Minister of Environment of the RA, met with Taukondjo Shikongo, Head of the Nagoya Protocol Unit of the Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the process of the Republic of Armenia’s accession to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Taukondjo Shikongo presented the main mechanisms and provisions of the Protocol, shared examples of successful international experience, and highlighted the role of state institutions and scientific organizations in its effective implementation. He emphasized that Armenia’s accession to the Protocol would create opportunities to ensure transparency in the use of genetic resources, expand scientific cooperation, and protect the interests of local communities. The parties also discussed potential risks that may arise during the accession process and possible measures to mitigate them. In this regard, a number of priorities were identified, including improving the legal framework, establishing a system for accounting genetic resources, and strengthening the capacities of stakeholders in the governmental, scientific, and public sectors.
Aram Meymaryan noted that the Ministry of Environment of the RA stands ready to continue effective cooperation with the Secretariat of the UN Convention—both throughout Armenia’s accession to the Nagoya Protocol and during the subsequent stages of its implementation. He emphasized that joining the Protocol represents an important step for Armenia toward conserving biodiversity and ensuring the fair distribution of benefits derived from nature.
The parties also discussed the preparatory work for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, which is scheduled to be held in Armenia in 2026. The parties discussed the planned steps related to organizational, technical, and public awareness activities.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Deputy Minister Aram Meymaryan expressed his gratitude to Taukondjo Shikongo for the substantive discussion and readiness to cooperate, emphasizing that Armenia’s accession to the Nagoya Protocol will contribute to the effective fulfillment of the country’s international commitments in the field of biodiversity conservation and environmental policy.