(WNAM Report): The Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), hosted a fruitful in-house session with Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Director General of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal.
The meeting brought together key representatives from both organizations, including Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood; Director CSP Dr. Neelam Nigar and CSP Research team; Mr. Shekhar Gimire, Director Operations, ICIMOD; and Dr. Faisal Mueen, Intervention Manager, ICIMOD.
Ms. Aisha Khan, Executive Director, Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC), also attended the meeting.
In her introductory remarks, Dr. Neelum Nigar extended a warm welcome to the ICIMOD delegation, expressing hope for beneficial collaboration between the two organizations.
For his part, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood highlighted ISSI’s efforts in organizing various international and national conferences on climate change and its effects, multistake-holder consultations in the pre- and post-COP28 phases, and ISSI’s commitment to deepen its collaboration with civil society on cross-cutting issues. He stressed that ISSI and ICIMOD should collaborate to promote shared objectives relating to raising awareness about the challenges posed by the effects climate change on mountains and glaciers and building climate resilience, including for mountain communities.
Dr. Gyamtsho, in his remarks, emphasized ICIMOD’s interest in working closely with ISSI on issues of mutual interests particularly focusing on the need for regional cooperation on climate change. He stressed the impact of climate change across South Asia, particularly in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, advocating for international attention to the Third Pole. Dr. Gyamtsho underscored the need for enhanced transboundary cooperation in areas like water, air pollution, wetlands, ecosystems, and glaciology, citing the potential for South Asian countries to learn from Alpine and Arctic coalitions.
Ms. Aisha Khan emphasized the importance of training for media persons regarding climate change reporting. She also highlighted ICIMOD’s role as a valuable data source for ISSI researchers and expressed optimism about increased exchanges between the two organizations, including for capacity building
During the interactive session, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood proposed forming an institutional relationship between ISSI and ICIMOD to strengthen cooperation on the range of mutual interest. He suggested developing a roadmap for collaborative events in 2024, fostering a closer working relationship between the two organisations. It was agreed that the designated focal persons on both sides would steer the collaborative process.
