The 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity was held in Yerevan, with high level of security and without incidents, states the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia.

Organizing large-scale international events requires complex security measures.

From October 19 to 30, Armenia hosted COP17, which was distinguished by its scale, international representation, and the extent of security measures.

The headquarters formed to ensure the security of the event was headed by the Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan.

The preparations for ensuring the security of COP17 had started months ago.

Joint practical exercises involving the forces and means of the Police and the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia were also important components of the preparatory work.

The Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs played a key role in ensuring the security of the conference.

Another important direction in ensuring the security of COP17 was the prevention of possible emergencies and preparation for an effective response to them. The Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs carried out complex work in this direction.

Also, in order to ensure fire safety, a round-the-clock service—involving fire-rescue vehicles and firefighters—was implemented on all days of the event.

To ensure nuclear and radiation safety, two main vehicle inspection points, as well as individual inspection points in the security zone, were located.

The measures implemented by the Police and the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia, together with UN security specialists, contributed to the improvement of cooperation mechanisms and the increase in the efficiency of organizing security processes.

Thus, the safe holding of COP17 became a significant result of the coordinated work and professional training of Armenian state agencies and international partners.

It once again demonstrated the ability of Armenia's internal security system to ensure the safe holding of large-scale international events and to properly fulfill its international obligations, reaffirming that Armenia is among the safest countries in the world.