How Western allies secured Armenia's role as COP17 host Secrets of the voting

On November 1, the host country for the UN Conference on Biodiversity COP17 was announced. In 2026, Armenia will take on this role. Earlier, we examined the differences between COP29 in Baku and COP17 in Yerevan. In this article, we will explore the key factors that led to Armenia being selected as the host for this important event.

What’s noteworthy? Despite the jubilant claims circulating in the Armenian segment of social media that Armenia garnered 65 votes, Caliber.Az reports that Yerevan secured COP17 primarily through the active support of the EU, especially France, as well as the International Organization of La Francophonie. A concerted effort was made to leverage all available diplomatic resources, ensuring that this event was hosted in Armenia, rather than anywhere else.

Why is this happening? The reason lies in the fact that Baku is set to host a series of significant events in 2025-2026. These include the 13th session of the World Urban Forum, the XVI Islamic Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in 2026, and the International Space Technology Conference STC 2025, among others. Additionally, COP29 will take place in Baku later this month. In essence, Azerbaijan has emerged as a central hub for nearly all major events in the region.

This situation, as one might expect, does not sit well with certain circles in the West. They have made every effort to ensure that COP17 is held specifically in Armenia, employing all available resources to that end.

Support for Armenia is being extended not only in the realms of information and military assistance but also actively pursued at the diplomatic level. Furthermore, one could argue that hosting COP17 in Armenia serves as a prestige move, particularly against the backdrop of recent events in neighbouring Georgia, where Western attempts to destabilize the country have faltered. It also reflects the deterioration of relations with Azerbaijan, which has refused to be a passive tool for disruptive external forces. Consequently, all available resources have been mobilized to support Armenia, which has effectively become the West's last hope in the region.

While we acknowledge the significance of COP17, the upcoming Conference on Biodiversity in Armenia holds considerable importance, as does any event that addresses ecological issues. However, amidst the current euphoria in the Armenian media, it's crucial to emphasize that COP29 and COP17 are events of distinctly different scales.

COP17 will focus on the protection of nature and biodiversity, exploring ways to safeguard ecosystems from degradation. In contrast, COP29 is part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and represents a much larger endeavour aimed at the global fight against climate change. This event will require countries to discuss and agree on their commitments to reduce emissions while identifying mechanisms for financing and supporting more vulnerable nations.

At COP17 in Armenia, we can expect experts and political leaders who concentrate specifically on biodiversity and ecosystem-related issues. This is a more specialized area, although it remains highly relevant in the context of climate change. On the other hand, COP29 in Baku will attract a far broader audience, including presidents, prime ministers, international organizations, research institutions, climate activists, business leaders, and economists.

Nonetheless, given the immense resources and efforts that France and other supporters of Armenia have invested in securing its role as the host of COP17, one might expect that by 2026, humanity will be living in harmony with nature. After all, this was the primary reason for Armenia's selection as the host—not as a counter to Azerbaijan or in response to the geopolitical interests of certain Western powers. This is, of course, a joke, but such resources have indeed been spent...