“Today, Bishkek is once again becoming a point of consolidation for countries and international organizations, as well as the mountain community, united by common aspirations and hopes,” emphasized the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov today, April 24, speaking at the International Conference “Global Mountain Dialogue for Sustainable Development: Towards the Bishkek+25 Summit” in Bishkek.
The conference also featured speeches by Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho Justice Ntomeng Majara, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Qu Dongyu and Executive Director of the Asian Forestry Cooperation Organization Park Chung-ho.
Text of the Head of State’s speech:
“Dear ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to mountainous Kyrgyzstan!
In our city of Bishkek – located at the foot of the majestic Ala-Too, more than twenty years ago the foundation of the global mountain dialogue was laid.
Today, Bishkek is once again becoming a point of consolidation for countries and international organizations, as well as the mountain community, united by common aspirations and hopes.
We continue our dialogue based on common problems and interests, solidarity and joint solutions.
The world is faced with growing global challenges – climate change, extreme weather conditions, natural disasters, accelerated degradation of ecosystems, loss of biodiversity.
Mountainous countries, possessing unique resources, are simultaneously subject to the influence of all these processes.
Our conference aims to unite countries of Asia, Europe, America, Africa and Australia, which, despite their remoteness from each other, face the same problems, such as melting glaciers, loss of biodiversity, degradation of mountain ecosystems in the Alps and Andes, Kilimanjaro and the Himalayas, the Pamir-Alai and Tien Shan, the Caucasus and Altai and other mountain systems.
Urgent measures, coordinated actions and the attention of the international community are required.
I cordially welcome the representatives of these countries today in Kyrgyzstan, in the heart of the Tenir-Too mountain range!
Dear friends,
Since the early 2000s, the Kyrgyz Republic has been actively working to attract the attention of the world community to mountain issues, taking consistent steps within the UN, achieving a gradual expansion of the global agenda in the field of sustainable mountain development.
On our initiative, the UN General Assembly in its resolution on “Sustainable Mountain Development” declared 2023–2027 the Five Years of Action for Mountain Development. We are grateful to all our partners for their support.
Today’s conference is being held within the framework of this Five-Year Period.
Based on the Global Framework Plan of Action for the Five Years, UN member states are implementing activities on sustainable development of mountain regions.
As part of the five-year mountain plan in Kyrgyzstan, we have undertaken the following actions:
— Development of green energy.
Over the past 2 years, 14 small hydroelectric power plants have been commissioned in Kyrgyzstan, which are designed to provide residents of mountainous and remote areas with electricity. In 2025, it is planned to build another 18 hydroelectric power plants.
— Development of transport infrastructure.
Comprehensive work is underway to connect mountainous regions with cities through the construction of railways and highways and the development of domestic air traffic.
— Greening of mountainous areas.
The country is implementing the national program “Zhashil Muras” to increase forest areas, which is aimed at increasing our potential to absorb greenhouse gas emissions. Within the framework of this program, up to 8 million green spaces are planted annually.
— Development of digitalization.
Active work is underway to expand access to digital government services for residents of remote and mountainous regions.
— Improving population access to health services.
Kyrgyzstan became the first country in the world to develop a telemedicine project and received funding under the India-UN Development Partnership Fund in the amount of US$ 1 million.
Considering that the majority of the country’s population lives in mountainous regions, the development of national potential and healthcare institutions in the regions is one of the main tasks in the field of social policy.
— Improving people’s living conditions.
Using the example of the high-mountain and hard-to-reach village of Zardaly in the Batken region, which was provided with electricity, internet access and basic infrastructure in a short time at the expense of the state in 2024, we are also ready to work together with international partners to improve the living conditions of the population in remote mountainous areas of the country.
We call on international organizations and financial institutions to support projects to improve the socio-economic conditions of residents of mountainous and remote regions, who, in addition to geographic isolation, are forced to experience the effects of climate change.
Dear participants, dear friends!
The conference we are participating in today is not only an assessment of what has been done, but also a platform for laying new coalitions, strategies and political commitments on the way to the Global Mountain Summit Bishkek+25, which will be held in 2027.
Our agenda for the coming years is large-scale and multi-layered.
I propose to consolidate our efforts in promoting the mountain agenda at the global level and take the following actions:
• implement innovations in agriculture, green economy and renewable energy sources with the support of international financial institutions to ensure sustainable development of mountain regions and increase resilience to the climate crisis;
• ensure sustainable financing for projects in mountain regions, including through climate finance mechanisms. For these purposes, I propose creating a mountain countries development fund;
• support our initiatives to exchange the external debt of countries of the world for “green” initiatives. We are especially grateful to the German and Turkish sides for their practical support of this initiative.
• it is necessary to expand international research on the protection of mountain ecosystems and the impact of climate change on mountain areas, including through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change;
• create a UN-Mountains coordination mechanism under the auspices of the UN;
• create a broad coalition of mountain countries, consisting of both developed and developing countries, as well as international partners;
• I would like to emphasize that without the participation of youth and women it is impossible to build a sustainable future. We call for the creation of an international platform “Mountain Youth, Women and Climate”, where youth and women’s initiatives could be heard and supported. Our solutions must be not only effective, but also fair and inclusive.
Dear friends,
Sustainable development of mountain regions is critical to the preservation of the environment and the well-being of people living not only in these vulnerable areas but also in the lower reaches.
I am confident that the Bishkek+25 Summit, which we are preparing to hold in 2027, will not only be the result of the Five Years of Action, but also the start of a new stage – fair, ambitious and united international cooperation in the name of sustainable mountain development.
We invite all countries and international partners to participate in the Mountain Summit at a high level and contribute to sustainable mountain development for future generations of our common home – planet Earth.
Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country. Our voice is heard in the interests of all. I ask you all to support our Global Mountain Dialogue.
I wish you successful and fruitful work at the conference.
Thank you for your attention.”
https://www.vb.kg/doc/445323_prezident_predlojil_konsolidirovat_ysiliia_v_prodvijenii_gornoy_povestki.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ73BZleH RuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEwWGtKcHVkczdGRDZWZ3Y0AR4BbCBu4LGy54W6Yayu69r4e_SH7zL_z1V6Zn2_oEVaW8_ITCgSTkf-lvSOcA_aem_mT8Oas6NTe-W3ln1x2OloA