OSCE Office supports Aarhus Convention conference in Armenia

On the occasion of the 10-year anniversary of the adoption and ratification of the Aarhus Convention, a roundtable discussion was held in Yerevan on 20 May 2011 to evaluate the progress of its implementation in Armenia.

The event was organized by the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Centre and the Armenian Association of Investigative Journalists with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, said: “Considering the significance of the Aarhus Convention from the point of view of ensuring a citizen’s right to environmental information, their access to justice and participation in environmental decision-making, the OSCE has contributed much to its promotion in Armenia, most importantly by launching a network of active Aarhus Centres throughout the country. These provide a practical platform to implement the principles of the Convention”.

Representatives of civil society, state institutions, the Aarhus Convention Secretariat, and international and diplomatic missions participated in the discussion. It is expected that the organizers will prepare a final document from the event which will incorporate the views of civil society and suggest further recommendations.

The UN Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, also known as the Aarhus Convention, is a key international agreement that links human rights, government accountability and environmental protection.