As a mountainous country, the Kyrgyz Republic attaches special importance to the sustainable development of mountainous regions.
Modern.az reports that this was stated by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov, at the Leaders' Summit held within the framework of the Thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
He noted that, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, mountains directly provide the livelihood and well-being of 1.1 billion people worldwide, while indirectly benefiting billions more.
“Melting glaciers, climate change, migration, and increasing pressure on ecosystems negatively affect cities located in high mountainous and foothill regions.”
S. Japarov brought to attention that Kyrgyzstan considers three main directions as priorities for the sustainable development of mountain cities:
“The first direction is ensuring the sustainability of ecosystems. In this framework, adaptation to the reduction of glacial waters, implementation of water-saving technologies, creation of waste collection and recycling systems, and protection of natural landscapes are considered important. Also, the application of energy-efficient and seismically resistant construction technologies is brought to the forefront.
The second direction is innovations for mountain urbanism. This includes the digitalization of municipal services, transport and energy systems, utilization of hydropower and solar energy potential, as well as the establishment of transport networks resilient to natural disasters and early warning systems.
The third direction is related to human capital and cultural heritage.”
He also emphasized the importance of developing education and social infrastructure in mountain cities, creating tourism routes, and supporting the concept of “digital nomads” in his speech.
