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Mustang Advocacy Summit participants endorse the Mustang Declaration

20.10.2022

On 20-21 September 2022, national governments, international agencies, and Mountain Partnership members joined together in Nepal for the Mustang Advocacy Summit (MAS 2022) to raise awareness about the impact of climate change in mountain regions. The objective of the Summit was to draw attention to the issues and challenges faced by the Himalayan region due to the effects of climate change, and to share opportunities.

The event included representatives from the governments of Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India and Nepal as well as a pre-recorded video intervention from the Mountain Partnership Secretariat. The MAS 2022 was the fourth event organized by Nepal in the framework of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022.

On the last day of the MAS 2022, delegates endorsed the Mustang Declaration. The Declaration notes that Nepal is a member of global and regional mountain initiatives and alliances, such as the Group of Friends of Mountainous Countries, the Mountain Partnership, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. Furthermore, it notes that Nepal is celebrating the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022 in partnership with several international, intergovernmental, and local organizations.

The Mustang Declaration reaffirms Nepal's identity as a country located in the world's longest and tallest mountain range. The Government of Nepal intends to take a global lead in addressing mountain-specific issues and identifying sustainable mountain solutions. The Declaration also reaffirms the need to further the sustainable mountain development agenda towards transformative mountain development solutions, and calls on countries to implement this call with actions based on the protection and promotion of human rights and dignity and the important role of collaborating with global mountain networks.

Read the Mustang Declaration

Photo: ©Hal Williams Photography