Needs Assessment and Prioritisation Workshop
EC ACP MEAs Programme – Africa Hub
Overview of Capacity Building Needs Under the
Ramsar Convention
16 to 18 September 2009
African Union Commission, Addis Abeba
Abou Bamba
Sr. Advisor for Africa
www.ramsar.org
About the Ramsar Convention
• The Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance (Ramsar, Iran; 1971), also referred to as
the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental
treaty that provides the framework for national action
and international cooperation for the conservation
and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
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•
www.ramsar.org
For more information on the Convention text and its history, joining the Ramsar
Convention, and what the commitments are for the Contracting Parties:
http://www.ramsar.org/cda/ramsar/display/main/main.jsp?zn=ramsar&cp=1-3138_4000_0__
http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/about/info2007-02-e.pdf
What are wetlands?
• Wetlands are areas where water is the primary factor controlling
the environment and the associated plant and animal life
• They occur where the water table is at or near the surface of
the land, or where the land is covered by water.
• Under the text of the Convention (Article 1.1), wetlands are
defined as:
« areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or
artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or
flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water
the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters ».
http://www.ramsar.org/cda/ramsar/display/main/main.jsp?zn=ramsar&cp=1-3637^7713_4000_0__
www.ramsar.org
Contracting Parties’ commitments
under the Ramsar Convention
3 “pillars” of action:
1. Wise use of all wetlands
2. Wetlands of International Importance designation and management (Ramsar List)
3. International cooperation (transboundary
wetlands)
www.ramsar.org
1. What is the “wise use” of
wetlands ?
“… their sustainable utilization for the benefit of
humankind in a way compatible with the
maintenance of the natural properties of the
ecosystem”
(Ramsar COP3, 1987)
For more information on wise use of wetlands:
•
•
www.ramsar.org
http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/about/info2007-07-e.pdf
http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/lib/lib_handbooks2006_e01.pdf
2. Designating wetlands for the
Ramsar List
• The document of adhesion to the Convention sent by the Head
of State or Foreign Office to UNESCO must be accompanied by
the designation of at least one wetland site for the List of
Wetlands of International Importance. Thereafter, each Party
"shall designate suitable wetlands within its territory for
inclusion in the List" (Article 2.1).
• Such designation(s) should include:
a) a completed Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS)
for each site;
b) a map showing the boundaries of each designated site.
For more information on the designation of wetlands:
http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/lib/lib_handbooks2006_e14.pdf
www.ramsar.org
3. And international cooperation
for Ramsar ?...
•
There is extensive cooperation with:
•
•
•
•
www.ramsar.org
other environmental global and regional conventions;
UN agencies;
regional environmental organizations;
NGOs and expert networks.
•
Ramsar has five International Organisation Partners that provide
invaluable support for the work of the Convention at global,
regional, national, and local levels, chiefly by providing expert
technical advice, field level implementation assistance, and
financial support, both from their headquarters units and from
their national and regional offices and affiliates and from their
expert networks.
•
BirdLife International; the International Union for Conservation of
Nature; The International Water Management Institute; Wetlands
International and WWF International.
For more information on international cooperation:
http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/lib/lib_handbooks2006_e17.pdf
Facts and figures
 159 Contracting Parties in the world
• Africa: 47 Contracting Parties
• Non-Contracting Parties in Africa:
Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Angola, Somalia, Ethiopia.
 1847 Wetlands of International Importance
“Ramsar sites” in the world
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www.ramsar.org
Largest global protected area network
totaling 181 million hectares
size: from <1 ha to >6 million ha
A total of 282 Ramsar sites in Africa
Capacity needs for various
stakeholders
www.ramsar.org
National Focal Points or Daily Contacts
• Understanding the Convention (issues
and challenges)
• Job description (what do they do between
two COPs/MOPs?)
• Negotiation capacities
• Institutional framework
• Language
• Resource mobilization
• Technology transfer
• Communication and outreaching skils
www.ramsar.org
STRP National Focal Points
• Understanding the Convention issues
• Putting African issues on the Convention
agenda
• Networking
• Language barrier
• Advocacy skills
• Resource mobilization to undertake
research on the issue
www.ramsar.org
Other stakeholders
• Judiciary and other law enforcement
officers
• Parliamentarians
• NGOs
• Private / business sector (e.g: oil and
gas, extractives, etc.)
• Journalists and other communication
specialists
www.ramsar.org
Challenges for MEAs Secretariats
• Synergy in implementation is weak
• « Big » conventions v/s « Small »
conventions
• Working language is an issue
• Many are not compliance-based
• Domestication in national legislation
• Monitoring and evaluating implementation
• Overlaps
• Funding to serve growing number of CPs
www.ramsar.org
THANK YOU!
For more information on Ramsar and wetlands...
www.ramsar.org
http://www.ramsar.org