17 October 2013: The Mountain Focus Group discussed strategies for including mountain-related issues in the post-2015 development agenda, particularly through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The meeting organized by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN convened in New York, US, on 17 October 2013.

Sebastiano Cardi, Italy’s permanent representative to the UN, said the Group was “very much aware that mountains must be at the forefront of the development architecture.”

The 23 participating governments considered activities for drawing attention to mountain communities and environments during the remaining sessions of the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) Open Working Group (OWG) sessions on SDGs. Participants called both for mainstreaming mountains across SDGs on water, climate change and energy, while also noting the value of a specific goal. Mountain communities, said one participant, often are overlooked because of their extreme poverty and remoteness. The Group agreed on the need for goals, targets and indicators to measure progress for mountains.

Sustainable mountain development (SMD) organizations expressed their intention to contribute to the Major Groups dialogue sessions during upcoming OWG meetings. Other proposals included forming a task force to meet regularly, inviting mountain community representatives to OWG side events, publishing policy briefs and creating an award for SMD research or activities. The outcome of the meeting will be submitted to the OWG.

The Mountain Focus Group is a group of countries committed to sustainable mountain development, and it works in close coordination with the Mountain Partnership (MP), a 215-member UN alliance of governments, intergovernmental organizations and major associations. to promote the health of mountainous regions and their inhabitants. The MP Secretariat is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). [Mountain Partnership Press Release] [IISD RS Sources]