BISHKEK (TCA) — Senior officials from 12 snow leopard range countries held a meeting in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, on August 2-3 to finalize the agenda and policy documents for the 2017 International Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Forum, scheduled for later this month, UNDP in the Kyrgyz Republic reported.
During the meeting participants reviewed and finalized key documents that are to be adopted by country delegations at the International Forum. They include a draft of the Forum Declaration, recommendations from nine thematic expert groups for acceptance into country policies, and objectives of the Green Investment Forum, which will be held as a key side event to the Forum.
“During the upcoming Forum, we want to adopt a Declaration and a strong set of shared policy recommendations to help secure the future of the snow leopard,” says Abdylkalik Rustamov, the Director of the State Agency for Environment Protection and Forestry of the Kyrgyz Republic. “This meeting is a key step toward this goal,” he added.
The meeting was hosted by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) Secretariat.
The meeting was also supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Global Tiger Initiative Council (GTIC), Snow Leopard Trust (SLT), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the Kyrgyz Republic, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev has invited the heads of twelve snow leopard range countries to Bishkek on 24-25 August 2017 to the International Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Forum.
The Forum will bring together heads and representatives of the Governments of the twelve snow leopard range countries as well as of other interested nations with leaders from international institutions, donor agencies, conservation organizations and scientific institutions.
This high-level event aims to further strengthen the range countries’ ongoing efforts to protect the snow leopard and to galvanize international support for their ambitious plan of securing 20 snow leopard landscapes by the year 2020.
