Agenda

Registration

Venue: Blue Hall

Parliaments in a Fragmenting World: Safeguarding Democracy and Navigating Geopolitical Change

In the context of growing geopolitical fragmentation, democratic challenges, and shifting global governance structures, parliaments play an increasingly central role in shaping national responses and ensuring accountability, legitimacy, and resilience. As representative institutions, they are uniquely positioned to bridge domestic priorities with international commitments, while fostering dialogue across political divides.

The Yerevan Dialogue 2026, convening immediately after the European Political Community Summit, provides a timely platform to elevate the role of parliamentarians in addressing shared challenges across Europe and its wider neighborhood. The Parliamentary Dimension will complement the broader forum by creating a dedicated space for legislators to exchange perspectives, share national experiences, and explore avenues for inter-parliamentary cooperation. To explore the evolving role of parliaments in responding to geopolitical tensions, defending democratic institutions, and contributing to resilient and international law–based governance systems.

Speakers:

• Sargis Khandanyan, Chair, Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly, Armenia
• Titus Corlatean, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate, Romania
• The RT Hon Lord Jack McConnell, Member, House of Lords, UK
• Dmytro Mykysha, Member of Parliament, Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine
• Ivan Racan, Deputy Chair, EU Affairs Committee of the Parliament, Croatia

Moderator: Gayane Abrahamyan, President, For Equal Rights Educational Center, Armenia

Venue: Green Hall

South Caucasus at the Crossroads: Logistics, Connectivity, and the Business Case (co-hosted by Enterprise Armenia and Concordia)

A profound transformation is underway in Asia–Europe connectivity. World Bank projections suggest volumes along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route – the Middle Corridor – could triple by 2030. The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, alongside the Gyumri–Kars railway, advances this shift, strategically repositioning Armenia as a vital transit bridge between East and West and strengthening the resilience of transcontinental supply chains.

Yet, connectivity today transcends roads and rails. Recognizing this, Armenia has made digital trade links an explicit national priority. By developing cross-border data networks and high-capacity fiber-optic infrastructure across the South Caucasus, the vision is clear: Yerevan is evolving beyond a physical crossroads to become a vital digital nexus bridging Europe and Asia.

Speakers:

• Federico Banos-Linder, Senior Consultant, The Tantalus Group, Germany
• Anushik Avetyan, Deputy Minister of Economy, Armenia
• Douglas Smith, Global Head Public Affairs Managing Director MENA, The Nuclear Company, USA
• Kristine Ghalechyan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Armenia
• Lucian Enaru, Country President, Schneider Electric Romania

Moderator: Hanne LeCount, Executive Director, Concordia, USA

Venue: White Hall

Black Sea Security and Connectivity in an Evolving Euro-Atlantic Environment (co-hosted by German Marshal Fund and GlobalFocus Center)

The Black Sea has re-emerged as a critical geopolitical space where Euro-Atlantic security intersects with economic connectivity and strategic competition. Disruptions to maritime security and trade routes have increased the importance of alternative routes linking Europe with the South Caucasus, the Caspian basin, and Central Asia.

As a result, Black Sea dynamics are no longer purely regional but part of a broader Euro-Atlantic strategic landscape. This panel will examine the interaction between security and connectivity, and how emerging infrastructure initiatives can enhance resilience, diversification, and rule-based cooperation. A key focus will be Armenia’s Crossroads of Peace initiative and the TRIPP and their relevance for frameworks such as the EU’s Global Gateway and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor).

Speakers:

• Daniel Kliman, Senior Vice President for Global Power Shifts, German Marshall Fund of the USA
• Oana Popescu-Zamfir, Director, GlobalFocus Center, Romania
• Mane Adamyan, Adamian Consulting, Former Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister and Former Deputy Minister of Economy, Armenia
• Justyna Gotkowska, Deputy Director and Head of Security and Department, Centre for Eastern Studies, Poland
• Maria Simeonova, Head of the Sofia Office, European Council on Foreign Relations, Bulgaria

Moderator: Oana Cristina Popa, Distinguished Fellow, German Marshall Fund (Bucharest); former EU Ambassador to Montenegro and Romania’s Ambassador to Serbia and Croatia, Romania

Venue: Blue Hall

Europe Between New Forms of Power and Dominance: Geopolitical Agency in a Fragmenting World (co-hosted by BSF)

The international order is undergoing structural transformation, driven by intensifying geopolitical competition, regional conflicts, and a weakening consensus around multilateral governance. The post-Cold War model of liberal multilateralism is increasingly under strain. Traditional understandings of power are no longer sufficient. While military strength remains critical, influence is increasingly exercised through technology, data, financial networks, and supply chains that transcend state control.

Europe occupies a pivotal yet uncertain position. The European Union seeks to preserve its normative and regulatory role while facing internal fragmentation and growing external pressures. Today, Europe must navigate two logics of power: a traditional state-centric model, and an emerging one rooted in technological systems, capital, and networks. The central challenge is whether Europe can maintain geopolitical agency in a multipolar world while upholding its commitment to multilateral norms.

Keynote Address:

Baiba Braže, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Latvia

Speakers:

• Baiba Braže, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Latvia
• Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the Security Council, Armenia
• Audra Plepytė, Deputy Foreign Minister, Lithuania
• Jernej Pikalo, Professor of Political science and globalization at the University of Ljubljana, former Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Slovenia

Moderator: Simona Leskovar, Programme Director, Bled Strategic Forum, Slovenia

Venue: Green Hall

From Media Literacy to Cognitive Security: Is democracy adaptable enough to face modern threats? Rethinking democratic Resilience in the Information Age

Governments and societies are navigating an increasingly complex information environment, where challenges such as Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) go beyond misinformation aimed at shaping perceptions, influencing behavior, and affecting public reasoning. The growing role of AI-driven systems, digital platforms, and data-driven influence is reshaping how individuals engage with information, shifting the focus from media literacy toward a broader concept of cognitive security. In this context, national resilience depends not only on access to reliable information, but on the capacity of individuals and institutions to resist manipulation and maintain trust. 

Geopolitical tensions, digitally generated content, and the strategic use of narratives are intensifying these challenges, exposing the limits of traditional responses such as fact-checking and content moderation. This panel will explore how policy frameworks can evolve to address these dynamics, fostering a balance between innovation, security, and democratic values.

• How are AI-generated content, algorithmic amplification, and data-driven targeting reshaping individual cognition and collective decision-making in ways that challenge traditional approaches to media literacy?
• As artificial intelligence systems become central to both information access and manipulation, how should governments and international actors regulate their dual-use nature while preserving democratic principles and open information ecosystems?

Speakers:

• Ani Badalyan, Spokesperson MFA, Armenia
• Artur Papyan, Digital Threat Analyst, CyberHUB Armenia
• Pierrick Judeaux, IFPIM Director, Policy and Ecosystem Development, France
• Samuel Van der Staak, Director for Europe, International IDEA, Belgium

Moderator: Camille Grenier, Executive Director, Forum on Information and Democracy, France

Venue: White Hall

Reinforcing Global Biodiversity Governance in the Face of Contemporary Challenges

High-Level Meeting in the framework of the Yerevan Dialogue. In the run-up to COP17 of the Convention on Biological Diversity

The global community is facing an unprecedented biodiversity crisis. Ecosystems are degrading, species loss is intensifying, and essential ecosystem services are increasingly compromised. These trends undermine not only environmental sustainability but also economic development, food security, public health, livelihoods and global stability. Despite important progress, including the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), global efforts to address biodiversity loss remain insufficient. The implementation gap persists, financial resources are unevenly distributed, and international cooperation is increasingly challenged by geopolitical fragmentation and competing priorities, affecting the effectiveness of collective action.

Against this backdrop and at a critical juncture in the lead-up to COP17, the Republic of Armenia, as host and incoming Presidency of COP17, attaches particular importance to advancing an implementation-focused agenda. COP17 is envisaged not as a routine milestone, but as a critical moment on the road to 2030, including the conduct of the first Global Review of progress in implementing the KMGBF, aimed at identifying gaps and accelerating delivery. In this context, Armenia’s COP17 Presidency will aim to reinforce multilateral cooperation, promote accelerated implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework and bridge gaps between commitments and action.

The high-level panel aims to facilitate an exchange of views and practical approaches ahead of COP17, with a view to addressing the persistent gap between global biodiversity commitments and their implementation, including by identifying practical pathways to strengthen implementation efforts.

Keynote Address:

Hambardzum Matevosyan, Minister of Environment, Armenia

Speakers:

• Hambardzum Matevosyan, Minister of Environment, Armenia
• Ivana Živković, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS
• Kaveh Zahedi, Assistant Director General and Director, Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB), FAO
• Mher Margaryan, Ambassador, Special Envoy of the COP17 Armenian Presidency, Armenia
• Mossi Raz, Former Chairperson of the Israel–Armenia Friendship Group, Israel

Moderator: Calum Nicholson, Director of Research, Danube Institute, UK

Tea/Coffee Break

Venue: Blue Hall

One-on-One chat with Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Armenia

Venue: Green Hall

From Connectivity to Opportunity: Boosting EU–Armenia Trade and Investment (co-hosted by Enterprise Armenia and Delphi Economic Forum)

Armenia is positioning itself as a regional hub for connectivity, trade, and investment amid shifting geopolitical and economic dynamics. Through its “Crossroads of Peace” initiative, the country aims to move beyond transit and integrate into regional and global value chains linking Europe, Asia, and other key markets.

At the same time, Armenia is advancing as a reform-driven, open economy, aligning its regulations with the European Union through CEPA and the Armenia–EU Strategic Agenda. Enhanced connectivity and regulatory alignment can help expand trade with EU member states, diversify exports, and boost value-added growth. Progress in visa liberalization can further support economic ties by facilitating the movement of businesses and talent.

The key challenge is translating these developments into concrete trade and investment outcomes. This panel will explore how connectivity, reforms, and trade facilitation can drive investment flows, expand EU–Armenia trade, and deepen integration into European value chains.

Keynote Address:

Vahagn Khachaturyan, President, Armenia

Speakers:

• Dimitris Skalkos, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greece
• Viktorya Aydinyan, Head of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Armenia
• Sarkis Dagkazian, President of the Hellenic-Armenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Greece
• Oana Popescu-Zamfir, Director, GlobalFocus Center, Romania
• Tigran Mkhitaryan, Member of the Management Board of “Fast Bank” CJSC, Armenia

Moderator: Symeon Tsomokos, Founder & President, Delphi Economic Forum, Greece

Venue: White Hall

Beyond Geopolitical Divides: International Human Rights and Justice Institutions as Guardians of International Law

International human rights and justice institutions-including the United Nations, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), International Criminal Court (ICC), and regional courts such as the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) have long served as key standard-setting and accountability mechanisms within the international system. However, escalating geopolitical rivalries, declining trust in multilateral institutions, selective compliance with legal obligations, and increasing instances of armed conflict have placed unprecedented pressure on the international legal order. Questions regarding effectiveness, enforcement capacity, politicization, and institutional reform are central to current debates.

At the same time, ongoing global crises present a window of opportunity to reassess and strengthen international justice frameworks as tools not only of accountability but of prevention. This discussion will analyse the strengths and weaknesses of international human rights and justice institutions as standard-setting and accountability mechanisms, and to explore pathways for reform that reinforce their preventive role in mitigating conflicts and humanitarian emergencies.

Speakers:

• Srbuhi Galyan, Minister of Justice, Armenia
• Judge Tomoko Akane, President of the International Criminal Court
• Rebecca Shoot, Co-Convener, Washington Working Group for the International Criminal Court, Co-Convener, ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions, USA
• Vahe Grigoryan, Judge of the European Court of Human Rights, Armenia
• Domagoj Hajdukovic, President, Centre for International Relations, Croatia

Moderator: Sheila Paylan, Senior Legal Consultant, United Nations

Lunch

Venue: Blue Hall

Geopolitical Shockwaves in the Middle East: Global Implications and Spillovers

Recent military escalation has generated significant geopolitical turbulence with broad implications for the global system. The crisis extends beyond military exchanges, affecting energy markets, global trade and transportation routes, and the strategic balance across Eurasia. It remains critical due to its central role in energy supply and maritime trade. Escalation threatens strategic chokepoints, notably the Strait of Hormuz, with immediate consequences for global energy prices, financial stability, and economic security.

The crisis is producing ripple effects across neighboring regions. The South Caucasus, positioned at the crossroads of trade networks, energy infrastructure, and geopolitical interests, is particularly sensitive to instability. For Armenia, Iran is a key economic partner and gateway to regional markets, meaning disruptions could impact connectivity, energy cooperation, and security.

Shifting power dynamics may also affect Azerbaijan, Georgia, and other regional actors, influencing energy transit, military alignments, and economic corridors. Secondary effects could include trade disruptions, increased militarization, refugee flows, and intensified competition among major powers such as Russia, Türkiye, and the United States. The panel will examine the geopolitical and geoeconomic implications of the ern crisis and analyze its potential spillover effects in the South Caucasus.

Speakers:

• Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary (Consular, Passport, Visa & Overseas Indian Affairs), Ministry of External Affairs, India
• Alireza Khoda Gholipour, Director General, Institute for Political and International Studies, Iran
• Humaid Ali Al Maani, Head of the Diplomatic Academy, Foreign Ministry, Oman
• Aweke Amare Kenaw, Director General and Lead Researcher, Middle East and Asia-Pacific Affairs, Institute of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia

Moderator: Anna Davtyan-Gevorgyan, Researcher, Center for Culture and Civilization Studies, Armenia

Venue: Green Hall

Cyber Resilience in the AI Era: Defending States, Infrastructure, and Trust

Cybersecurity is now inseparable from economic resilience, national security, and diplomatic stability. The attack surface has widened as governments and enterprises digitize critical services, move sensitive workloads to cloud environments, and integrate AI into operations. At the same time, AI is changing the threat landscape by accelerating intelligence, scaling social engineering, and improving attacker productivity. The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) recent threat-landscape work underscores persistent risks from ransomware, data breaches, and systemic disruption, while also highlighting the vulnerability of public administration and essential services. These threats are no longer merely technical problems; they affect continuity of government, public trust, and cross-border stability.

Globally, cyber strategy is also becoming more openly geopolitical. States are investing in national cyber agencies, incident response capability, and resilience planning for critical infrastructure, while alliances and trusted partnerships matter more for information-sharing and coordinated response. Estonia’s strategy, for example, explicitly links cyber posture to the broader security environment and the activity of different states. The topic examines not only how to defend systems, but how to preserve trust in institutions, elections, finance, telecoms, and public services under conditions of strategic competition.

Speakers:

• Nerses Yeritsyan, Chairman of the Information System Regulatory Commission, Armenia
• Bassant Hassib, Assistant Professor of Political Science, The European Universities, Egypt
• Ararat Ghukasyan, First Deputy Chairman, Management Board, Unibank, Armenia
• Janne Taalas, Chief Executive Officer, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, Finland

Moderator: Andrea Cucco, Editor in Chief, Difesa Online, Italy

Venue: White Hall

Defense Industrial Cooperation: Supply Chains, Talent, and the Role of Smaller States

The defense sector is changing as advanced technologies become more accessible and widely available. Tools such as software-based systems, drones, artificial intelligence, and commercial satellite services are no longer limited to a small number of major powers. This shift is lowering barriers to entry and allowing a broader range of countries to participate in defense innovation and production. As a result, the defense industry is becoming more distributed and less concentrated.

This change is creating new opportunities for smaller states to contribute in practical and meaningful ways. Instead of building full-scale defense industries, they can focus on specific areas such as software development, electronics, data analysis, or specialized manufacturing. At the same time, the need to diversify supply chains is becoming a key priority for many countries. Relying on a limited number of suppliers creates risks, especially during crises. Smaller states can play an important role by becoming reliable partners in production, innovation, and support services. This panel will explore how more accessible technologies are enabling wider participation, how smaller countries can position themselves effectively, and how cooperation can lead to more resilient and flexible defense ecosystems.

Speakers:

• Dominik P. Jankowski, Deputy Secretary General, NATO PA
• Sukaran Singh, MD & CEO, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd, India
• Gegham Vardanyan, CEO of ATG, Armenia
• Jakub Jaworski, Director General, Polish Chamber of National Defence Manufacturers, Poland
• Sujan Chinoy, Director General, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Studies and Analyses, India

Moderator: Leonid Nersisyan, Senior Advisor, APRI Armenia

Venue: Blue Hall

International Development Cooperation: Challenges and Prospects

In March 2025, the UN Secretary-General launched the UN80 Initiative to enhance the resilience, efficiency, and responsiveness of the UN, complementing the Pact for the Future and the Seville Compromise in reforming the UN Development System and adapting the global financial architecture to emerging development challenges.

At the same time, global development faces unprecedented strain: armed conflicts, geopolitical fragmentation, rising protectionism, environmental degradation, and widening inequalities are undermining progress toward the 2030 Agenda. Diversion of resources from official development assistance to military spending further limits support for LDCs, LLDCs, SIDS, and vulnerable middle-income countries.

This panel will explore practical pathways to revitalize international development cooperation, ensuring the UN Development System can address current challenges while advancing the 2030 Agenda and the commitment to leave no one behind.

Speakers:

• Robert Abisoghomonyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Armenia
• Pedro Manuel Moreno, Acting Secretary-General, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
• Ivana Živković, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS
• Kaveh Zahedi, Assistant Director General and Director, Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB), FAO
• Khisrav Sohibzoda, Ambassador-at-Large and Special Envoy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan
• David Fernandez Puyana, Ambassador and Permanent Observer of University for Peace to the United Nations in Geneva and Vienna

Moderator: Latika Bourke, Writer-at-Large, the Nightly

Venue: Green Hall

Geoeconomics as the New Battlefield. Sanctions, Supply Chains, and Economic Statecraft in a Fragmenting World

Geopolitics is increasingly being conducted through economic instruments. Sanctions regimes, export controls, energy leverage, financial restrictions, trade barriers, and strategic investment policies have become primary tools of statecraft. The battlefield has shifted from territorial confrontation to supply chains, payment systems, and technology ecosystems.

Institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) face mounting strain as states prioritize strategic resilience over liberal economic integration. Simultaneously, groupings like the G20 struggle to maintain consensus amid competing economic blocs. The weaponization of interdependence has fundamentally altered assumptions about globalization. Recent years have demonstrated that economic connectivity can both stabilize and destabilize: while interdependence creates prosperity, it also creates leverage. Energy pipelines, semiconductor production hubs, maritime chokepoints, and financial clearing systems are now strategic assets.

This panel will examine whether geoeconomics has permanently replaced traditional military confrontation as the dominant arena of competition – and what this means for global stability. It will also analyse how economic instruments – sanctions, supply chain restructuring, and trade policy – are reshaping global power dynamics, and to assess their long-term implications for international order, economic resilience, and regional stability.

Speakers:

• Nicolás Albertoni, Center for Development Studies, Uruguay
• Thomas Gomart, Director of IFRI, France
• Rakhim Oshakbayev, Director, Center of Applied Research TALAP Kazakhstan
• Matthew Wells, President & CEO, One Region, Inc., USA
• Eli Bar-On, Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Head of the Executive Committee, MENA2050, Israel

Moderator: Viktoria Poghosyan, Director of External Affairs, Philip Morris, Armenia

Venue: White Hall

European Integration for the Prosecution Office: opportunities and challenges

European integration, among other things, also includes close cooperation on legal matters. From that perspective the possibility of having a collegiate setting which would provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences with the prosecutors from the countries that have already advanced the initial stage of European integration might be beneficial.

The topics to be discussed during the Panel are relevant to the current reality of Armenia and beyond and they will address the differences amongst and required adjustments to be made by prosecution services and provide perspectives for strengthening international cooperation on criminal matters.

Practical examples will be discussed based on the experience of EUROJUST. Concrete experiences with EUROPOL (to be agreed with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia), CARIN network, European Public Prosecutor’s Office will demonstrate how prosecution services could effectively and meaningfully combat criminality globally and especially in the countries that are at the initial stages of EU integration, including integration with the specialised agencies and networks.

Speakers:

• Bostjan Skrlec, Chair of the Board on Relations with Partners, EUROJUST
• Anna Vardapetyan, Prosecutor General, Armenia
• João Conde Correia, Senior Public Prosecutor, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Portugal, representative of CARIN network, Portugal
• Arpine Sargsyan, Minister of Internal Affairs, Armenia

Moderator: Narine Gasparyan, Adviser to the Prosecutor General, Armenia

Tea/Coffee Break

Venue: Blue Hall

Curators Call

Davit Karapetyan, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Armenia

Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India

Venue: Blue Hall

Small State Survival in an Era of Great Power Competition: Red Lines, Deterrence Collapse, and the Unraveling of Order (co-hosted by ORF)

The rules-based international order was meant to level the playing field in a system in which small and medium-sized states could rely on law, not power, to safeguard their sovereignty. For small states, the transformation is existential when multilateral institutions fail to uphold their own principles. The question is no longer how to operate within the rules-based system but how to survive its weakening.

This panel will confront a central dilemma of contemporary geopolitics: can deterrence be restored in a world where credibility has been eroded, or are we entering a new era in which power, rather than principle, defines the limits of sovereignty? It will explore whether international law can retain meaningful force in a multipolar order, and what adaptive strategies-regional alignments, asymmetric deterrence, technological leverage, or new coalitions-may allow small states to navigate a system where enforcement is uncertain and norms are increasingly contested. Ultimately, this is not just a debate about the future of international law. It is a question about the future of order itself: whether rules can still constrain power, or whether the international system is drifting toward a more permissive and more dangerous equilibrium where red lines no longer deter, but invite testing.

Speakers:

• Mehdi Jomaa, Former Prime Minister, Tunisia
• Werner Fasslabend, President, Austrian Institute für European and Security, Austria
• Malgorzata Bonikowska, Centre for International Relations, Poland
• Per Olsson Fridh, Director General, Folke Bernadotte Academy, Sweden

Moderator: Liliana Śmiech, Director General for International Affairs, Ludovika University of Public Service, Hungary

Venue: Green Hall

EU’s Enlargement Shift for the South Caucasus (co-hosted by GLOBSEC)

Armenia stands at a crossroads. Since its 2021 CEPA agreement with the EU, Yerevan has signalled a clear European orientation – driven by a rebalancing of external relations, and a sustained domestic push for democratic reform. Yet without a membership perspective, Armenia remains outside the EU’s formal enlargement architecture, positioned within a neighbourhood the EU has historically approached through partnership rather than accession.

The political shift in Hungary – where Tisza’s April 2026 victory ends Orbán’s era may ease some institutional blockages that have stalled EU enlargement. Progress on Ukraine’s accession could, in turn, recalibrate EU strategic attention eastward, opening space for more serious thinking about differentiated integration models for the South Caucasus.

The central question is what model the EU is prepared to offer. Can a “free market first” approach prioritising regulatory alignment and sectoral access serve as a meaningful integration pathway?

Speakers:

• Karel Lannoo, CEO, Centre for European Policy Studies, Belgium
• Loukas Tsoukalis, Professor, Sciences Po, Paris; President of the Board, ELIAMEP, Greece
• Taline Papazian, Sciences Po, Lecturer and researcher, political science, France
• Péter Pál Kránitz, Senior Research Fellow, Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, Hungary

Moderator: Dominika Hajdu, Director for Policy and Programming, GLOBSEC, Slovakia

Venue: White Hall

Advancing Synergies across Rio Conventions

More than 30 years ago the international community adopted three landmark treaties to protect the planet Earth and Mother Nature, notably the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention on Combating Desertification. Each of the Rio Conventions tackles a specific aspect of nature protection, whereas there is a growing public understanding that climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation are interlinked and interconnected. In light of the growing pace of these crises, fragmented approaches are no longer a solution and an efficient response should be anchored on a coherent and coordinated action both at home and at a global level.

Hence, this panel is intended to bring up a number of critical questions for exploring synergies across the Rio Conventions, identifying cross-cutting topics and discussing measures to strengthen cooperation between the parties, Executive Secretariats of the Rio Conventions and non-governmental stakeholders.

Speakers:

• Aram Meymaryan, Deputy Minister of Environment, Armenia
• Kaveh Zahedi, Assistant Director General and Director, Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB), FAO
• Erik Grigoryan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Environment Group, Armenia
• Luísa Braga Bianchet, Energy Transition Diplomacy Analyst, E+ Energy Transition Institute, Brasil

Moderator: Françoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia

Closing Remarks & Vote of Thanks

Reception