As a flagship event, the postponement of our Second Ministerial Summit scheduled for 22^nd September 2024 was a setback. At the same time, our work to boost transboundary cooperation and partnerships have never been as vigorous, and many of the initiatives and relationships are starting to yield extraordinary results. This work is less visible than summitry, it is the long-term, patient work of building relationships, of diplomacy, of organizing, and delivering.

This is the work to which ICIMOD remains unswervingly committed, as flood after fire after drought tell us, has never been more urgent.

It is evident in the painstaking work of our regional knowledge networks, in the crucial exchanges of actionable knowledge and policy influencing that we are seeing through our stepped-up science-policy dialogue series, in the powerful convening and supporting work that ICIMOD negotiating and science experts are providing to the delegates at last week’s Biodiversity COP, and at next week’s Climate COP.

Why regional cooperation matters

As the Director General of ICIMOD, I have seen firsthand the importance of regional cooperation and collaboration on shared challenges in the HKH region. The challenges we face – climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and disasters – do not respect national borders. Many challenges in one part of the HKH region have significant impacts on other areas. The Hindu Kush Himalaya are a shared resource, and we must act collectively to protect this fragile mountain ecosystem which supports the lives and livelihoods of close to two billion people, either directly or indirectly. ICIMOD strongly believes in consultation and greatly values advice from its regional member countries. This summit primarily aims to unite the eight HKH countries to tackle these escalating threats through collective actions.

In 2020, ministers from these countries took a historic step by signing the first HKH Ministerial Declaration, committing to a unified response. The declaration states, “We recognise and support the vision of the HKH Call to Action – which calls for a prosperous, peaceful and poverty-free region that is food, energy and water secure, and climate and disaster-resilient communities in the mountains, downstream and beyond.”

The signatories recognised that the challenges we face are too great for any single country to address alone. The declaration laid the groundwork for the creation of a formal regional institutional mechanism to foster cooperation and bring our shared priorities to the global stage. The second summit intends to build on that momentum, advancing our collective efforts to protect the region and secure a sustainable future for its people.

High-level decision-making platform for enhancing regional cooperation

The creation of a High-Level Task Force (HLTF) following the 2020 declaration was a crucial step. Comprising senior government officials from all eight HKH countries, the HLTF has been working diligently since 2021 to explore how best to institutionalise regional cooperation. Their recommendation was to establish a HKH Ministerial Forum that would meet biennially and serve as the high-level decision-making platform for enhancing regional cooperation in addressing the existential threats posed by climate change, pollution and ecosystem degradation. This recommendation will be tabled at the Second Ministerial Mountain Summit.

Looking ahead

As we work to reschedule this important summit, following further consultations with the regional member countries, I urge all HKH nations to continue supporting our collaboration. Our region’s challenges are vast, but so too are the opportunities for cooperation, collaboration and shared success.

We are confident that given our region’s shared geographical, historical, cultural and economic ties, our efforts to forge a strong alliance towards addressing the common challenges by emphasising on scientific collaboration and exchange of information and knowledge, will receive added impetus from our member countries.  We feel deeply encouraged by last week’s historic breakthrough in relations between two of our regional member countries as their heads of state met on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit and agreed to a significant de-escalation around border issues.

Together, we can build a resilient, prosperous future for the HKH and its people.

-Pema Gyamtsho