First Technical Working Group (TWG) Meeting and Second Bhutan–ICIMOD Coordination Committee (BICC) Meeting

Organisers: Ministry of environment and Natural Resources (MoENR), The Royal Government of Bhutan; Directorate and the Strategic Results, Partnerships and Business Development (SRPBD) Unit of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

Background

The Royal Government of Bhutan and ICIMOD are strengthening their collaboration under the Bhutan–ICIMOD Memorandum of Understanding signed on 5 March 2024. The Government, through the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MoENR) as the national focal ministry, has initiated structured mechanisms to enhance coordination, coherence, and national ownership of ICIMOD-supported programmes.

Earlier this year, the first Bhutan–ICIMOD Coordination Committee (BICC) meeting underscored the need for a two-tiered system to streamline strategic oversight and operational follow-up. This resulted in the establishment of the Technical Working Group (TWG) to consolidate progress across diverse initiatives, address bottlenecks, and ensure alignment with Bhutan’s 13th Five Year Plan and the 21st-Century Economic Roadmap.

The first TWG meeting (2–3 December 2025, Paro) and the second Coordination Committee meeting (4 December 2025, Thimphu) together mark an important milestone in reinforcing structured, country-driven partnership governance.

Objectives

The First TWG Meeting aims to:

• Review and consolidate ongoing activities under Bhutan–ICIMOD collaboration, ensuring coherence and alignment with national priorities.
• Identify key gaps, challenges, and opportunities for cross-sectoral implementation.
• Provide strategic inputs to guide the Coordination Committee’s decision-making and ensure synergistic planning.
• Promote knowledge exchange and capacity strengthening among government agencies, academic institutions, Civil-Society Organisations (CSOs), and ICIMOD teams.
• Inform ICIMOD’s 2026 planning and MTAP-VI preparation, ensuring future activities respond to Bhutan’s evolving development needs.

These meetings bring together over 30 government agencies, academic institutions, and civil society partners, reaffirming Bhutan’s commitment to a strong, coordinated partnership with ICIMOD for sustainable mountain development.