News from the CEPA e-mail list

SGF call for proposals and opening for Intern for Asia (09/02/06)

Hello everyone:

Two messages from the Secretariat:

1. Call for proposals for the Ramsar Small Grants Fund 2006 cycle:

The Ramsar Small Grants Fund was established in 1990 as a mechanism to assist developing countries and those with economies in transition in implementing the Convention and to enable the conservation and wise use of wetland resources - since that time, it has provided funding and co-funding, up to 40,000 Swiss francs (about US$ 34,000) per project, for something like 180 projects totaling about 7.5 million francs. Funds are made available by voluntary contributions by Contracting Parties, notably Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, the United States, and especially Sweden, as well as by WWF and other nongovernmental sources.

Suitable project proposals are those which contribute to the implementation of the Convention's Strategic Plan 2003-2008 for the conservation and wise use of wetlands; provide emergency assistance for Ramsar sites; or provide 'preparatory assistance' to allow non-Contracting Parties to progress toward accession. Eligibility is restricted to countries on the List of Aid Recipients established by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), effectively meaning developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Projects may be proposed and implemented by any agency, NGO, or individual, but proposals MUST be endorsed and monitored by the Administrative Authority (the Ramsar implementing agency) in the Party's government, and seldom is more than one proposal approved from the same Party in any year. Successful proposals receive 80% of the allocated funds upon signature of the contract and the remainder upon submission of an adequate final report, but countries from which adequate final project reports have not been received may be denied further consideration for funding until those outstanding project dossiers have been closed.

The call for proposals is now being made for the 2006 cycle, with a deadline of 30 June 2006 for application and with a decision by the Standing Committee around November. The current edition of the "SGF Operational Guidelines", which includes complete information and the required forms, is now available on the Ramsar Web site in Word and PDF formats, as well as directly from the Secretariat. The Secretariat's regional teams also offer an advisory service to help with the preparation of suitable proposals, for which drafts should be submitted to the Senior Regional Advisors by 15 April 2006.

Readers can also find lists of the successful project proposals for each year since 1992 and news reports of successfully completed projects, which may provide useful tips as to the kinds of projects and approaches most often selected for assistance, on the Ramsar Web site at http://ramsar.org/key_sgf_index.htm.

Please pass this information on to anyone who might be interested in applying for SGF assistance.

2. Ramsar opening for Intern for Asia

The Ramsar Secretariat welcomes applications for the position of Intern/Assistant Advisor for the Asia Region, a 12-month posting (possibly extendable to up to 24 months) at the Ramsar Secretariat in Switzerland to begin as soon as possible after 22 May 2006. With an upper age limit for applicants of 30 years old, the post offers an opportunity for young graduates to become acquainted with the workings of an intergovernmental treaty dealing with the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Candidates for this internship should be nationals of countries in Asia and have lived most of their lives in the region. Full ability to work in English, both written and spoken, is required for this post. Prospective candidates: please view the General Terms of Reference for Ramsar internships on the Ramsar Convention Web site at: http://www.ramsar.org/about/about_internships.htm (also available from the Secretariat), which includes conditions of service and salary structure, and send the application form (Word, PDF) attached to the General Terms of Reference, a covering letter explaining your interest in an internship with the Ramsar Secretariat and your future career goals, your CV, as well as two letters of reference from your previous supervisors or dean of the faculty where you carried out your studies, to jobapplications@iucn.org. The deadline for applications is 24 February 2006.

Best wishes, Sandra Hails, Ramsar Secretariat

*********************************************************

Sandra Hails, CEPA Programme Officer
Ramsar Convention Secretariat
Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 999 0176; Fax: +41 22 999 0169
E-mail: hails@ramsar.org
Web Site: http://ramsar.org
CEPA mini-Web site: http://ramsar.org/outreach_index.htm

**********************************************************