At #COP17Armenia, the Secretary General held a working meeting with the International Organization Partners (IOPs) of the Convention on Wetlands, recognising their important role in supporting the Convention’s mission and advancing wetland conservation and restoration worldwide.

#COP16 of the Convention on Wetlands will be held in Panama City, Republic of Panama, from 7 to 15 June 2028. Today at #COP17Armenia, the Secretary General met with H.E. @juancanavarro, Panama’s Minister of Environment, to review preparations for the upcoming #WetlandsCOP16.

On the sidelines of #COP17Armenia, the Secretary General had a bilateral meeting with @JyotiHosagrahar, the Deputy Director of @UNESCO, underscoring the links between wetlands, urban development and cultural heritage.

The State of Biodiversity Action report provides the first global assessment of collective progress under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in December 2022 with 23 targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and four long-term goals for 2050. cbd.int/doc/press/2026/pr-20…

Today, at #COP17Armenia, the Secretary General met with @DiegoMesaP, CEO and Chairperson of @theGEF. Discussions focused on the importance of connecting national wetland priorities with @theGEF programming and the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund.

#COP17Armenia: The Water and Biodiversity Day brought together governments, international organisations, experts, and partners to advance action to conserve, restore and sustainably manage freshwater ecosystems. The day also highlighted the importance of maintaining momentum across global environmental processes, including the @UNWaterConfUAE and #COP16Panama in 2028.

On the margins of #COP17Armenia, the Secretary General met with the COP15 Presidency of the Convention on Wetlands, led by Hon Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife. The engagement highlighted the important role of the COP15 Presidency in advancing the Convention’s priorities. Attention now turns to translating the commitments made at #COP15Zimbabwe into concrete action and sustaining political momentum towards #COP16Panama.

At #COP17Armenia, the Secretary General met bilaterally with H.E. Hambardzum Matevosyan, Armenia's Minister of Environment. Discussions reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation in advancing wetland conservation, with an emphasis on knowledge exchange & strengthening international partnerships.

🇺🇳Happy @UN Day! Celebrated every year on 24 October, #UnitedNationsDay is an opportunity to reaffirm the purposes and principles of the @UN Charter and recognise the importance of international cooperation in addressing global challenges.

On the margins of #COP17Armenia, the Secretary General visited Gavar State University, where she delivered a lecture to students, highlighting the importance of wetlands, the essential benefits they provide and the need to strengthen efforts to conserve and restore them.

During her visit to Armenia, the Secretary General had a working breakfast with Mr. Karen Mnatsakanyan, Director of Sevan National Park at the Ministry of Environment of Armenia. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives on the conservation & sustainable management of Lake Sevan.

Today, the Secretary General visited Lake Sevan accompanied by Mr. Karen Jenderedjian, Armenia’s National Focal Point for the Convention. Located at 1,900 metres above sea level and surrounded by mountains, Lake Sevan is one of the world’s largest freshwater alpine wetlands and a #RamsarSite.

#ExcitingNews: India has added Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel to the List of Wetlands of International Importance, bringing its total number of #RamsarSites to 103. Read more: ramsar.org/news/india-adds-t… #India #CelebrateWetlands

#SaveTheDate: Water and Biodiversity Day at #COP17Armenia 💧24 October 2026 | 14:00–18:00 (GMT+4) 📍GBF Pavilion, Blue Zone The Water and Biodiversity Day will bring together key stakeholders to explore how we can accelerate action to conserve, restore & sustainably manage water-related ecosystems.

At #COP15Zimbabwe in 2025, through Resolution XV.6, the Convention on Wetlands adopted a new Programme on communication, capacity building, education, participation and awareness (CEPA), entitled People and Wetlands. Join the CEPA Network: ramsar.org/our-work/activiti…