July 13, 2026
Nearly three decades after adopting the landmark Malé Declaration, South Asia has taken another historic step in regional cooperation on air quality.
Senior government officials from seven member states, meeting as the Technical Working Group, successfully finalized the updated text of what may aptly be called the Malé Declaration 2.0 a renewed regional commitment that responds to today’s realities while preserving the Declaration’s original vision of collective action against transboundary air pollution.
The timing could not be more significant. As air pollution continues to threaten the health, livelihoods and prosperity of millions across South Asia, the region has once again demonstrated that shared challenges require shared solutions. The updated Declaration sends a strong signal that regional cooperation remains indispensable in addressing one of the defining environmental and public health challenges of our time.
The finalized text will now be placed before the Governing Council for formal consideration and approval.
Another important milestone was the appointment of SACEP as the Secretariat of the Malé Declaration, underscoring its central role in advancing regional dialogue, scientific cooperation, policy coordination and capacity building on air quality across South Asia.
This achievement belongs to the governments, technical experts and partners who have worked tirelessly to renew one of South Asia’s most enduring environmental cooperation frameworks. It is also a reminder that while air pollution knows no borders, neither does our shared determination to confront it.
The next chapter of regional cooperation on clean air begins now !
