Kyrgyzstan backs Yerevan Platform on mountain and freshwater ecosystems

In Yerevan, the official launch of the Yerevan Platform on mountains and their associated freshwater ecosystems took place within the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The new international initiative aims to unite efforts to protect the unique ecosystems of mountainous countries, attract financing and develop international cooperation, according to a report dated 31 October 2026.

At the leaders' summit, President Sadyr Japarov supported the creation of the platform, said Kyrgyzstan was ready to take an active part in its work, and stressed the importance of preserving the Issyk-Kul ecosystem. A delegation led by Dinara Kemelova, the president's special representative for the mountain agenda, took part in a series of high-level events, including the opening of the Yerevan Technology Centre for biodiversity monitoring and a joint event by Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and France.

Kemelova called on the international community to pay more attention to protecting mountain ecosystems and to expand access to funding sources for mountainous countries. Kyrgyzstan's initiatives include a special mountain programme within the Global Environment Facility, the opening of a Global Centre for Mountain Resilience in Bishkek, and a UN-supported trust fund to protect Issyk-Kul. A decision was also taken to update the Mountain Biodiversity Work Programme before COP18, and Kumar Mambetaliev was re-elected to the COP bureau.