Bishkek, July 9, 2026 /Kabar/. The roundtable discussion on "Advancing the international mountain agenda for sustainable development: partnerships, international initiatives, and the role of the United Nations" was held at the Vienna International Centre at the initiative of the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Austria, jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
According to Kyrgyz presidential administration, Dinara Kemelova, Special Representative of Kyrgyz president for the Implementation of the Five-Year Plan for the Development of Mountain Regions, participated in the event.
Nurzhan Shaildabekova, Permanent Representative of Kyrgyzstan to the OSCE, the UN, and other international organizations in Vienna, and Matthias Jurek, Head of the UNEP Mountain Group, addressed the participants with welcoming remarks.
Keynote addresses were delivered by Dinara Kemelova, along with representatives of Austria, UNIDO, the IAEA, the OSCE, Kazakhstan, and Andorra. Ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic corps of 27 countries participated in the roundtable.
Participants discussed advancing the international mountain agenda, strengthening multilateral cooperation, and implementing joint initiatives for the sustainable development of mountain regions.
The roundtable was another practical step toward strengthening international partnerships in the lead-up to the Second Global Mountain Summit, which will be held in Bishkek in October 2027, and will facilitate the further promotion of Kyrgyzstan's initiatives internationally.
During her working visit, Dinara Kemelova also held meetings with the President of the Austrian National Council, Walter Rosenkranz; OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioglu; Lukas Kronsteiner, Adviser to the Federal President of Austria on Foreign Policy; and representatives of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate, and the Environment, and several international organizations.
During the meetings, special attention was paid to promoting Kyrgyzstan's international initiatives in the area of sustainable mountain development, as well as expanding cooperation with international partners on mountain issues.
Kyrgyz side presented key initiatives for the sustainable development of mountain regions and invited the Austrian side and international partners to actively participate in the preparation and holding of the Second Global Mountain Summit in Bishkek.
Austrian side and representatives of international organizations expressed interest in further developing cooperation with Kyrgyzstan in the area of mountain ecosystem protection, implementing joint projects, and sharing experiences. During the meetings, the growing role of Kyrgyzstan in promoting sustainable mountain development issues in the international arena was also noted.