Mr. Haoliang Xu, the United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Associate Administrator, will visit Armenia from 14 to 17 October 2026 to participate in the Leaders’ Summit of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), hosted by Armenia. As the second-highest ranking official of UNDP, Mr. Haoliang Xu will join global leaders, heads of international organizations, policymakers, and development partners to advance international cooperation on biodiversity, sustainable development, and financing for nature-positive development. During his visit, Mr. Xu is scheduled to engage with senior representatives of the Armenian authorities, including bilateral meetings with the Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia, Mr. Mher Grigoryan, and Vice-President of the National Assembly, Mr. Hayk Konjoryan. He will also meet with UNDP Armenia Country Office staff and visit a UNDP-supported energy efficiency project showcasing sustainable development solutions at the local level. UNDP Associate Administrator will participate in the COP17 Leaders’ Summit and is expected to contribute to the high-level roundtable on “The Political Imperative: Safeguarding Nature for Peace, Security and Development.”