Armenia, Czechia strengthen green cooperation

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan and Czech Ambassador to Armenia Petr Pirunčík met to discuss ongoing and future environmental cooperation between the two countries.

Central to the discussion was the EU-funded, Ministry-led two-year Twinning program, titled “Enhanced biodiversity protection and sustainable use in Armenia in line with European standards.” The initiative involves both Czechia and Finland and aims to strengthen environmental governance, particularly in biodiversity conservation and the management of protected areas.

Matevosyan emphasized the program’s significance in improving Armenia’s environmental management system. He noted that the new legal and administrative approaches developed under Twinning will also contribute to fulfilling Armenia’s commitments under the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the European Union.

The two officials discussed ways to ensure the program’s continuity and explored options to deepen bilateral cooperation, including joint participation in the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Ambassador Piruncik highlighted the value of the Armenia-Czechia environmental partnership and affirmed his country’s readiness to continue supporting Armenia’s reforms—especially in aligning with EU standards and promoting sustainable development.

The meeting also addressed mechanisms for engaging civil society and the private sector in shaping environmental policy, with a focus on raising public awareness and strengthening participatory governance.

Both sides agreed that enhancing bilateral collaboration will boost Armenia’s environmental institutions, facilitate the adoption of international best practices, and expand joint initiatives aimed at protecting the environment and achieving sustainable development goals.