Armenia`s Deputy Foreign Minister assures: There are no corruption schemes involved in organizing COP17

ArmInfo. The final cost of hosting the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) is still unknown, as certain organizational work is ongoing. Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Abisogomonyan stated this in a conversation with journalists on October 12, when asked to specify the country's expenditure on this international event.

At the same time, the diplomat expressed confidence that the Armenian Ministry of Environment, which is responsible for procurement, will provide information on the costs after the event.

Responding to a request to comment on the numerous issues raised by the opposition today from the parliamentary rostrum regarding inflated procurement estimates for conference supplies, the booking of events from a single party without a tender, and so on, Abisogomonyan assured that the procurement was carried out in accordance with UN standards. "When organizing such events, it is necessary to be guided by international standards." Of course, there are, for example, very cheap thermoses on the market that contain plastic. But a thermos cannot contain plastic when it comes to an environmental conference. This means UN standards must be taken into account. Similar requirements apply at other international conferences. All standards are determined by the UN," the Deputy Minister noted. Abisogomonyan also noted that the data presented by his colleagues on COP17 preparations is public. He believes this demonstrates the government's transparency in this matter. Speaking about the significance of the conference for Armenia, the Deputy Minister recalled that it is a global event, the country's first-ever chairmanship of which opens up new opportunities for Armenia in terms of international cooperation, and beyond. He noted that Armenia has put forward proposals addressing both its own environmental challenges and global issues, the resolution of which could have a long-term positive impact. "Hosting COP17 will allow the country to more actively participate in shaping the international environmental agenda and strengthen ties with representatives of the 196 parties to the Convention," Abisogomonyan assured.

Responding to a comment about Armenia hosting an international environmental conference amid serious air pollution problems, the Deputy Foreign Minister acknowledged that this was a legitimate question. However, he emphasized that hosting such an event does not mean the host country is free of environmental concerns.

"Similar problems exist in other states party to the Convention on Biological Diversity. In this sense, the conference provides an opportunity to address these issues through the development of international ties and the implementation of relevant programs," the Deputy Foreign Minister explained.

Abisogomonyan, however, avoided directly answering the question of how representatives from Azerbaijan and Turkey would participate in COP17. He explained that registration is ongoing, and only general quantitative indicators are available so far. "Turkey and Azerbaijan are parties to the convention and are free to register to participate. Currently, over 13,000 people have registered, and it is likely that representatives from these countries are among them," Abisogomonyan concluded.

The 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) will be held in Yerevan from October 19 to 30, 2026.

On October 12, the Armenian parliament considered the ratification of the agreement with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Tigran Abrahamyan, secretary of the parliamentary faction of the opposition bloc "Strong Armenia," questioned why the document was submitted to parliament just a week before the conference, when the bulk of the budget funds had already been spent, and asked for the total cost. Abisogomonyan was unable to provide precise figures, citing ongoing organizational work. Meanwhile, MP Liana Manukyan cited examples of purchases that raised questions about the efficiency of spending, including thermoses costing 7,800 drams (approximately $16) each. She specifically noted that thermoses retail for 2,000 to 3,500 drams on the Armenian market, and adding a graphic image can increase the price by another 1,000 drams. She also cited the estimated cost of lanyards for participant badges at 1,200 drams, while their retail price on the Armenian market does not exceed 55 drams. She also acknowledged that high-quality lanyards with specific engravings can cost up to 600 drams, but no more. Opposition forces also presented other evidence indicating that serious abuses and embezzlement were committed in organizing this event.