Armenia interested in leveraging UN-Habitat`s expertise to promote  circular economy: RA Environment Minister

ArmInfo. Armenia is interested in leveraging the expertise of UN-Habitat (the United  Nations program for promoting sustainable human settlements and  improving urban living conditions) to develop smart cities and rural  areas, as well as to promote a circular economy, as stated by  Armenian Environment Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan on the sidelines  of the 7th session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7).

According to the press service of the Armenian Environment Ministry,  Matevosyan had a meeting with UN-Habitat Executive Director and UN  Deputy Executive Secretary Anaclaudia Rossbach in Kenya. The Armenian  Minister shared Armenia's priorities for sustainable and green urban  and rural development with his counterpart. He specifically  emphasized the significance of developing strategies that facilitate  the transition to a green and circular economy, as well as enhancing  energy efficiency.

The parties discussed key aspects of the ongoing cooperation between  the Urban Development Committee of Armenia and UN-Habitat, including  the integration of the digital urban planning platform, the urban  cadastre, and the National Geoportal, as well as several other joint  initiatives.

Matevosyan noted that Armenia, which will host the 17th Conference of  the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) next  year, is eager to address this important topic from various  perspectives, including the sustainable coexistence of human  settlements and the conservation of biodiversity. In this context,  the Armenian official highlighted the significant progress made in  Armenia in recent years in the area of biodiversity, including the  adoption of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan  (NBSAP), and expressed readiness to collaborate with UN-Habitat on  its implementation, as it includes goals aimed at the ecological  transition of cities and sustainable development.

Matevosyan also announced plans to hold a COP17 urban forum, which  will be attended by mayors and city government stakeholders, parallel  to the main conference. At the end of the meeting, he invited UN-  Habitat representatives to visit Armenia.