Colombo, July 23: The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation on expanding solar energy access across their shared member countries, particularly in remote, mountainous Himalayan regions.
The MoU, signed during ISA’s 7th Regional Committee Meeting in Colombo, formalises a partnership aimed at accelerating the deployment of decentralised solar technologies, enhancing energy access in remote mountainous communities, and fostering climate-resilient development across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
As part of this collaboration, the two organisations will work together to identify and scale solar interventions across key sectors; co-develop joint proposals, projects, and programmes; build technical capacity and enable technology transfer; and promote regional knowledge exchange and advocacy.
Pema Gyamtsho, Director General of ICIMOD, said the partnership represents a significant milestone in the region’s clean energy transition.
“This partnership with ISA marks a significant step toward bringing clean, reliable, and context-specific solar solutions to the mountains. It reinforces our shared commitment to sustainable energy transitions and climate resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region,” Gyamtsho stated.
Ashish Khanna, Director General of ISA, highlighted the collaboration’s strategic importance.
“Our MoU with ICIMOD supports our strategy to move from Ambition to Action through Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) initiatives across the Hindu Kush Himalaya. It begins with the ISA Country Partnership Strategy for Bhutan, serving as a pioneering model for mountain-focused renewable energy transitions,” Khanna said.
The partnership aligns with both organisations’ missions to support national climate goals, advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and enhance regional cooperation for a more sustainable and equitable energy future.
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a treaty-based international organisation of 120+ countries working to promote solar energy solutions worldwide. ISA aims to support clean energy transitions through collaboration, capacity-building, financing mechanisms, and policy support, focusing on the needs of the Global South.
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