A/RES/60/198 2. Notes with appreciation that a growing network of Governments, organizations, major groups and individuals around the world recognize the importance of sustainable development of mountain regions for poverty eradication, as well as the global importance of mountains as the source of most of the Earth’s freshwater, as repositories of rich biological diversity, as popular destinations for recreation and tourism and as areas of important cultural diversity, knowledge and heritage; Notes with concern that there remain key challenges to achieving 3. sustainable development, eradicating poverty in mountain regions and protecting mountain ecosystems, and that populations in mountain regions are frequently among the poorest of a given country; Notes that the growing demand for natural resources, including water, the 4. consequences of erosion, deforestation and other forms of watershed degradation, the occurrence of natural disasters, as well as increasing outmigration, the pressures of industry, transport, tourism, mining, agriculture and the consequences of global climate change are some of the key challenges in fragile mountain ecosystems to implementing sustainable development and eradicating poverty in mountains, consistent with the Millennium Development Goals; Expresses its deep concern at the number and scale of disasters and their 5. increasing impact within recent years, which have resulted in massive loss of life and long-term negative social, economic and environmental consequences for vulnerable societies throughout the world, in particular in mountain regions, especially those in developing countries; Underlines that action at the national level is a key factor in achieving 6. progress in sustainable mountain development, welcomes its steady increase in recent years with a multitude of events, activities and initiatives, and invites the international community to support the efforts of developing countries to develop and implement strategies and programmes, including, where required, enabling policies and laws for the sustainable development of mountains, within the framework of national development plans; Encourages the further establishment of committees or similar multi7. stakeholder institutional arrangements and mechanisms at the national level to enhance intersectoral coordination and collaboration for sustainable development in mountain regions; Also encourages increased involvement of relevant stakeholders, 8. including civil society and the private sector, in the development and implementation of programmes and activities related to sustainable development in mountains; Underlines the need for improved access to resources for women in 9. mountain regions as well as the need to strengthen the role of women in mountain regions in decision-making processes that affect their communities, cultures and environments; 10. Stresses that indigenous cultures, traditions and knowledge, including in the field of medicine, are to be fully considered, respected and promoted in development policy and planning in mountain regions, and underlines the importance of promoting full participation and involvement of mountain communities in decisions that affect them and of integrating indigenous knowledge, heritage and values in all development initiatives; 2