Armenia is interested in hosting the CITES Conference of the Parties in 2031.

ArmInfo. On the sidelines of COP17, Armenian Environment Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan met with Yvonne Higuero, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The parties discussed opportunities to enhance the implementation of the Convention in Armenia, improve national legislation, and expand cooperation in combating illegal trade in wildlife.

At the same time, they touched upon the progress made by Armenia and further steps to ensure full compliance of national legislation with the Convention. Particular attention was paid to expert support from the CITES Secretariat and capacity-building for responsible bodies.

As President of COP17, Ambartsumyan emphasized the importance of strengthening synergies between environmental conventions to achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The Minister also expressed Armenia's interest in hosting the CITES Conference of the Parties in 2031.

The Secretary expressed satisfaction with Armenia's work, noting progress in consistently improving legislation and moving toward Category I status.