The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Conclusions of the Mediterrean Wetlands Committee 2, Valencia, 1999

Mediterranean Wetlands Committee

Second Meeting of the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee (MedWet/Com2)
Valencia, Spain 31 January – 3 February 1999

Conclusions

The Mediterranean Wetlands Committee (MedWet/Com)
meeting for the second time, in the city of Valencia, Spain on 31 January - 3 February 1999

1. and consisting of officially designated representatives from 19 countries (Albania, Algeria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia and Yugoslavia), the Palestinian Authority, the European Commission, the Council of Europe (Bern Convention), the United Nations Environment Programme - Coordinating Unit for the Mediterranean Action Plan (Barcelona Convention), the Convention on Wetlands and the following seven organisations working on wetland-related issues in the Mediterranean (BirdLife International, Greek Biotope / Wetland Centre, IUCN - The World Conservation Union, the Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat, Sede para el Estudio de los Humedales Mediterráneos of the University of Valencia -SEHUMED, Wetlands International, and the World Wide Fund for Nature International - WWF).

2. NOTES the continued interest of the Mediterranean countries, and many intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations and wetland centres in the MedWet Initiative, as demonstrated by their participation in the Second Meeting of MedWet/Com in Valencia, and regrets that the following countries although members of the Committee could not participate at the last moment due to unforeseen difficulties: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Italy, Syria and Turkey.

3. WELCOMES Libya, Monaco and SEHUMED as new members of MedWet/Com.

4. WELCOMES the participation of the European Commission and requests the MedWet Coordinator and Ramsar Secretary General to intensify their liaison with other potential donor agencies concerned with the conservation and sustainable use of Mediterranean wetlands.

5. EXPRESSES its deep gratitude to the Government of Spain - and especially the Ministry of Environment, and to the Generalitat de Valencia for the generous support and hospitality they provided for this Meeting, as well as to SEHUMED, which was responsible for the excellent arrangements.

6. WELCOMES the participation in the Meeting of the Spanish business sector, which provided information on new technologies for harvesting, manufacturing and trading wetland biological resources, through a presentation by Pharmamar, a commercial company active in Spain and other countries around the world; and a briefing by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on the Biotrade Office that it will open soon in Sevilla.

7. NOTES with pleasure that the Meeting provided a framework for celebrating World Wetlands Day, with a special ceremony presided over by Spain's Minister of the Environment, Ms Isabel Tocino, with the participation of the President of the Generalitat de Valencia, Mr. Eduardo Zaplana, and the Major of the City of Valencia, Ms Rita Barberá.

The Mediterranean Wetlands Committee, after studying the working documents provided by the MedWet Team, and debating the issues in plenary sessions and workshops:

8. APPROVES the modifications in the Rules of Procedure, as proposed by its Chairman, the Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands, consisting mainly on the establishment of an Advisory Board to ensure continuity between the meetings of MedWet/Com. The Board will be composed of representatives of the two members that have hosted the previous two MedWet/Com meetings, of the member that will host the next MedWet/Com meeting, and of the Ramsar Bureau.

9. ENDORSES the draft Resolution on a collaboration structure for the Mediterranean wetlands submitted by Greece and Spain and supported by Albania (as amended during the discussion), and requests its submission for approval to the 7th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands in Costa Rica, May 1999.

10. NOTES with satisfaction the willingness of the governments of France, Greece and Spain to continue providing administrative and technical support to the MedWet Initiative through the Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat, the Greek Wetland / Biotope Centre and SEHUMED, as well as the commitment of the Secretary General to undertake all possible efforts to secure funds for the operation of a MedWet Coordinator post within the framework of the Ramsar Bureau for the period 1999-2000.

11. ENCOURAGES the efforts to establish a new wetland centre in North Africa, and hopes that it will soon become operational and will contribute effectively to wetland conservation and wise use in the Mediterranean.

Concerning the implementation of the Mediterranean Wetlands Strategy, the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee:

12. EXPRESSES its appreciation of the work carried out within the MedWet Initiative since March 1998, as evidenced by the report of the MedWet Team.

13. HOPES that the two new MedWet projects (MedWet3 - GEF, FFEM and MedWet4 - Evian), which involve at present nine Mediterranean countries and the Palestinian Authority, will develop rapidly and effectively.

14. CONSIDERS, further to the conclusions of MedWet/Com1 (Thessaloniki, March 1998), that emphasis should be placed during the next two years on the following main goals:

a) further strengthening the collaboration network in the Mediterranean, with an encouragement of active participation of all the MedWet/Com members;

b) making good use and developing further the MedWet methods and tools, particularly in the areas of inventories, management and training, through a closer collaboration of wetland centres in the region and other appropriate partners;

c) developing guidelines for all wetland-related activities based on a sustainable use of resources; and

d) promoting through information and public awareness the appreciation of wetland values and functions.

15. REQUESTS from the MedWet Team to develop specific actions to reach these objectives.

16. ACCEPTS the Action Plan incorporated in the report of the MedWet Team, covering priority areas, actions and projects, subject to the qualifications, amendments and suggestions included in the attached consolidated conclusions of the two workshops held on 2 February 1999.

17. URGES those Mediterranean countries which are not yet Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands to complete the necessary procedures as soon as possible, as an important preparatory step for implementation of the Mediterranean Wetlands Strategy.

Finally, the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee:

18. COMMENDS the efforts of the Government of Spain in establishing a Strategic Plan for Spanish Wetlands, and asks to be further informed about its development and implementation.

and

19. ACCEPTS with pleasure the offer of the Government of Tunisia to host the 3^rd Meeting of the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee (MedWet/Com3) in the second week of April 2000.

For further information about MedWet or the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, please contact the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ). Posted 13 March 2001, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.