Armenian Assembly Congressional Relations Director Explains the Importance of COP17 Resolution

Mariam Khaloyan, Congressional Relations Director, Armenian Assembly of America

Washington, D.C. - Washington, D.C. - Days before COP17 is set to open in Yerevan, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) urges Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to cosponsor H.Res.1616, the bipartisan resolution introduced on October 5, 2026, by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs David Valadao (R-CA) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ). The measure welcomes the Republic of Armenia as host of the Seventeenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), encourages deeper U.S.-Armenia cooperation on conservation, and supports partnerships and exchanges between the U.S. and Armenia.

“This resolution recognizes that responsible stewardship of Armenia’s natural resources goes hand in hand with protecting its sovereignty, strengthening local communities, and creating economic opportunity. It also highlights the decades of work by Armenia Tree Project (ATP) and the value of deeper U.S.-Armenia cooperation as Armenia prepares to host COP17,” said Mariam Khaloyan, Director of Congressional Relations at the Armenian Assembly of America.

Specifically, the resolution recognizes ATP for its contributions to reforestation, environmental education, sustainable forestry, economic development, and community resilience throughout Armenia. Founded in 1994, ATP has created thousands of jobs in rural communities, educated a new generation of environmental stewards, and restored forests across a country that lost much of its tree cover in the energy crisis of the 1990s.

H.Res.1616 reaches well beyond these milestones, encouraging deeper U.S.-Armenia cooperation on sustainable forestry, water management, wildfire prevention, education, and environmental resilience. It also supports partnerships and exchanges among American and Armenian businesses, universities, nonprofit organizations, agricultural producers, and scientists that strengthen the strategic partnership and enduring friendship between the two nations.

COP17 will take place in Yerevan from October 19 through October 30, 2026, bringing world leaders, scientists, and conservationists to Armenia to shape the future of global biodiversity policy.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a strictly non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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NR # 2026-37