Agriculture Minister Songhulashvili meets Council of Europe and Bern Convention representatives in Yerevan

On the sidelines of the high-level ministerial segment of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Yerevan, Georgian Environment and Agriculture Minister Davit Songhulashvili held bilateral meetings. He met Rafael Benítez, head of the Council of Europe’s Directorate of Social Rights, Health and Environment, and Alessandra Sianno, Secretary General of the Bern Convention.

The two sides discussed the importance of stronger international cooperation on biodiversity, expanding the network of protected areas and meeting commitments under the Bern Convention.

“Cooperation with the Bern Convention and international partners, as well as stronger regional cooperation, is important for achieving the 2030 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Georgia is ready to contribute actively to meeting these goals,” Songhulashvili said.

After the meeting, the Georgian pavilion hosted an event titled “Strengthening Protected Areas under the Bern Convention”, opened by Rafael Benítez.

Songhulashvili highlighted Georgia’s progress in expanding and managing protected areas, which now cover nearly 23% of the country. This total includes key national and international locations, such as the Emerald Network, in a major step towards global biodiversity goals.

The minister highlighted Georgia’s achievements in protecting and restoring species and habitats, including the approval of a national species recovery plan and ongoing work to restore six species.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the event continued with a panel discussion featuring Karlo Amirgulashvili, Chair of the Council of Europe’s Bern Convention; the Bern Convention Secretary General; and representatives of the CBD Secretariat and the ministry’s Biodiversity Policy Department.