Author: Miranda García (AEIDL)
Delegates from 97 mountain countries around the world attended the sixth Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership, the United Nations alliance dedicated to mountain areas worldwide. This high-level event, which took place from 26 to 29 September 2022 in Aspen (United States), endorsed the revision of the Advocacy and Communication strategies as well as the Governance Paper of the Mountain Partnership and the Aspen Declaration.
The meeting has given the opportunity to discuss and agree upon key points, such as the Mountain Partnership’s vision statement, the creation of a scientific advisory body, redefining the role and functions of the Steering Committee Chair and the hosting arrangements of the Secretariat were some of the highlights discussed. As a result of the meeting, the Advocacy Strategy and the Communication Strategy were approved as well as the Governance Paper were approved from which several proposals arose. A new Steering Committee was also elected during the event.
Above all, the main outcome of the meeting was the approval of the Aspen Declaration. This document calls for more cooperation for sustainable mountain development, environmental protection, social inclusion, services for communities and knowledge sharing. It also contributes to implementing the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 and building on the outcomes of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit for the development of more sustainable food systems in mountains.