On May 24, 2022 the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations in New York organized the presentation of the concept of the “Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions” for the permanent missions of the Unite Nations Member States. Special Envoy of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic on implementation of the “Five Years of Action for the Development of the Mountain Regions” Mr. Nurlan AITMURZAEV participated in it as the high representative from Bishkek.

Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Mr. Qu Dongui and Acting Director of the Division for SDGs of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Mr.Alexander Trepelkov delivered welcoming remarks. Special Envoy Aitmurzaev made a presentation of the concept of the “Five Years of Action for the Development of the Mountain Regions”. Head of Secretariat of the Mountain Partnership Ms. Rosalaura ROMEO made a presentation titled “International Year of Mountains — 2022”. Totally there were 15 presentations and statements.

The event was attended by the Permanent Representatives of the state parties of the Group of friends of mountainous countries established on the initiative of the Kyrgyz Republic in 2019 as well as other United Nations Member Countries and the representatives of the key international organizations.

Special envoy Aitmurzaev noted that mountain regions constitute unique types of ecosystems and the problems they face due to climate change are specific. Therefore, adaptation and mitigation of climate change, as well as sustainable development in these countries, require the implementation of a special set of measures focusing on their needs.

During the presentation of the “Quinquennium” Kyrgyz side announced a set of its mountain initiatives aimed at addressing the problems of economy and trade, education and culture, environment, climate change and prevention of natural disasters as well as lack of international cooperation in these fields. Primarily, Kyrgyz side advocated for the establishment of broad coalition of the mountain countries in order to better promote their interests within various United Nations bodies. These and other initiatives of the mountain countries were proposed to be united under the common set of activities titled “Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions” and implement them during forthcoming five years — 2023-2027. To make these efforts more formal Kyrgyz side proposed to adopt resolution of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly declaring 2023-2027 as the “Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions”. Kyrgyz side encouraged United Nations Member States to support and co-sponsor this resolution. At the same time, international organizations with respective mandate were called to join the “Quinquennium” as the implementing agencies. To ensure political support to this resolution Kyrgyz side informed that it is planning to hold High-Level Meeting on Sustainable Mountain Development during High-Level Week of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly with participation of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic H.E. Mr. Sadyr ZHAPAROV and high representatives from the mountain countries.

For reference: in September 2021 the President of the Kyrgyz Republic H.E. Mr. Sadyr ZHAPAROV during his statement in the General Debates of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly announced an initiative on declaring “Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions”. For the purpose of practical implementation of this initiative Kyrgyz side developed its concept which includes wide range of activities aimed at strengthening cooperation between mountain countries, improving wellbeing of their peoples and protection of mountain ecosystems. Kyrgyz Republic calls all mountain countries to join the implementation of these activities.

Participation of all international organizations that have respective mandate in the implementation of “Quinquennium” mainly Secretariat of the Mountain Partnership, FAO, regional commissions of ECOSOC, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNEP, UNCTAD, GEF, international financial institutions through implementation of projects and programs in fields of development of trade, improving transport and logistic infrastructure, attracting investments, transfer of technologies and innovations, environment protection, combating climate change, including development of green economy, green technologies, green energy, preventing natural disasters, popularization of culture, history and nature of the mountain countries and developing mountain tourism, as well as investing in the projects on sustainable development of mountain regions is crucial.