A forum titled “Waste Management in Armenia: Challenges and Opportunities” was held Thursday in Yerevan with support from the British Embassy Yerevan and in partnership with the Armenian-British Business Chamber (ABBC). UK Ambassador to Armenia John Gallagher, Deputy Minister of Environment of Armenia Anna Mazmanyan, Executive Director of ABBC Diana Gaziyan and others made opening speeches at the event.

The forum sought to address the issue of sustainability of waste management in Armenia and provided a high-level discussion and information sharing platform for policy makers, researchers and the private sector. It provided an overview of the economic, governance and policy context for waste management in Armenia and shared practical advice and knowledge from local industry specialists on key opportunities.

It also enabled participants to learn how the UK delivery and regulatory expertise can help Armenia minimize and manage waste effectively, promote resource efficiency and move towards a circular economy. The UK has a wide-ranging expertise encompassing everything from research into innovation, through to the manufacturing and deployment of waste management technologies, as well as the policy and regulatory expertise to support these.

The forum attracted over 50 participants from across the Armenian government, civil society, academic community, businesses, and the international institutions, playing an active role in waste management and climate change initiatives.

In his welcoming speech, UK Ambassador to Armenia John Gallagher said:

“A more sustainable future for Armenia depends on reconciling the need for economic growth with an ambition to reduce carbon emissions and to protect the environment. Increasing volumes of waste have become a serious environmental, economic and health challenge. Yet the opportunity to generate socio-economic and environmental value through sustainable waste management is largely untapped. A more effective waste management system can achieve significant public expenditure savings, which could be reinvested in infrastructure, health and education. The UK is committed to help Armenia develop integrated waste management initiatives, regulations to manage the allocation or re-allocation of resources and to support investment in advanced sorting equipment and collection infrastructure.”

Diana Gaziyan, Executive Director of the Armenian-British Business Chamber, mentioned:

“The issue of sustainable waste management in Armenia acquired specific significance in the light of Armenia signing  Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU in 2017, committing itself to introduce Extended Producer Responsibility system by 2023. This forum aims to discuss the waste management situation in the country, challenges and opportunities, and how the best UK waste management practices can be implemented in Armenia.”