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Mountain resolution approved at the United Nations

25.11.2022

The Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the United Nations General Assembly approved the new resolution on sustainable mountain development on 22 November 2022 during its seventy-seventh session. The resolution, which was co-sponsored by 110 States, discusses the social, environmental and economic statuses of mountain peoples and ecosystems and calls for sustainable mountain development through international processes, dedicated financial mechanisms, awareness-raising and data collection.

The representative of Italy, introducing the draft resolution, noted that it contributes to the promotion of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, showing how critical sustainable mountain development is for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Achieving sustainable mountain development will have a direct impact on lives and livelihoods in local mountain communities all over the world, he stressed. In this regard, he encouraged Member States to adopt long-term strategies, through holistic and multi-stakeholder approaches, promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and fight against social exclusion and disaster risk in mountain areas.

By its terms, the Assembly would stress the special vulnerability of people living in mountain environments, in particular local communities and Indigenous Peoples, and invite States to strengthen cooperative action. It would also decide to proclaim the period 2023–2027 as "Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions" to enhance the international community's awareness of the problems of mountain countries and to give new impetus to the international community's efforts to address the challenges and problems of mountain countries.

The representative of Kyrgyzstan, delivering a general statement, noted that in light of climate change, mountainous regions are in a particularly vulnerable position. Recognizing that ensuring sustainable development of those regions is not a matter of one year, he proposed to declare the next five years the "Five Years of Action for the Development of the Mountain Regions". He pointed out that the initiative is designed to provide new momentum to the international community's efforts to combat the problems and challenges of mountain countries; strengthen mountain countries to jointly advocate for their interests; establish dedicated financial mechanisms for improved cooperation; and promote cooperation among mountain countries in the spheres of economy, social development, environment, culture, science, knowledge and education.

The resolution furthermore recognizes the collaborative efforts of the Mountain Partnership, the United Nations alliance dedicated to improving the lives of people living in mountain areas and protecting mountain environments around the world.

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Photo: ©UN Photo/Loey Felipe

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