In various working groups they drew up success factors and recommendations for strengthening local governance units in mountain regions. These were set out in a resolution addressed to the governments of all the mountain countries, the UN, the contracting parties to the Alpine Convention, and to interested parties. The conference was organised by the Central Asian Mountain Partnership (CAMP) of the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC). The Alpine Convention supported the event both logistically and financially.
The conference was preceded by the 4th Conference of the Alliance of Central Asian Mountain Communities, which was established in 2003 in co-operation with CIPRA and the network of municipalities "Alliance in the Alps". Like its Alpine sister organisation the Alliance of Central Asian Mountain Communities focuses on sustainable development in mountain communities and the exchange of experience and knowledge among communities. The co-operation between the two networks was consolidated with the establishment of a foundation. A number of sponsorship agreements are already in place between individual alpine communities on the one hand and Central Asian mountain villages on the other. This co-operation is now to be taken one step further, in particular in the energy sector.
Source and information: CIPRA-International; www.cde.unibe.ch/Agoca.asp (en)