Head of the Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Body Hovhannes Martirosyan Participates in CITES CoP20 High-Level Meetings in Samarkand

From November 23 to 25, 2025, Head of the Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Body of the Republic of Armenia, Hovhannes Martirosyan, participated in the high-level segment of the 20th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20), held in Samarkand, Republic of Uzbekistan.

The meetings addressed global trends in the control of international trade in endangered species, ways to enhance the fulfillment of states’ obligations, and the need to strengthen law enforcement actions and interagency cooperation. Special emphasis was placed on the modernization of CITES tools, as well as the introduction of digital and data-driven solutions, including new mechanisms for monitoring, traceability, and international data exchange. These measures are aimed at improving the oversight and regulation of international trade in wild fauna and flora.

CITES is an international agreement regulating global trade in endangered species of plants and animals to ensure that such trade does not threaten their survival in the wild. The Republic of Armenia acceded to the CITES Convention in 2009 and continues to fulfill its obligations aimed at conserving biodiversity and establishing an effective international trade control system.