The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

4th meeting of the Mediterrean Wetlands Committee, Sesimbra, Portugal, 21-23 May 2001

Fourth Meeting of the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee (MedWet/Com4)
Sesimbra, Portugal, 21-23 May 2001

DOC. MC4/05

Fourth Meeting of the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee
Sesimbra, Portugal, 21-23 May 2001

Towards the MedWet Operational Plan 2003-2005

01 After the approval of the new Ramsar Strategic Plan 2003-2008 by COP8, and the start of its implementation from 1 January 2003, the MedWet Initiative will be guided by this broad global document. It is proposed, however, that its more specific planning will be carried out through 3-year Operational Plans, and yearly Work Plans.

02 The first MedWet Operational Plan will cover the years 2003 to 2005 and should be derived form the Convention’s Work Plan for the same period. The MedWet Operational Plan should include the activities of all MedWet/Com members, the MedWet Networks and the MedWet Coordination Unit, based on information they will receive from them. A draft of this plan will be submitted to MedWet/Com for discussion and approval. If for reasons of timing the approval can not be done at a MedWet/Com meeting, consultations should be carried out through e-mail, post and telephone discussions, including conference calls if required.

03 To facilitate the work of the MedWet Coordination Unit in preparing the draft Operational Plan 2003-2005, a number of guidelines are proposed to MedWet/Com4 for consideration and approval, as included in the following paragraphs.

04 The Operational Plan should include all actions and activities that are necessary for the attainment of the priority objectives. The Operational Plan must document as much as possible how the proposed actions, taken in an integrated manner, will ensure the realisation of each objective. Certain additional actions may be proposed for non-priority objectives, on the basis of opportunity criteria.

05 From this three-year MedWet Operational Plan, the MedWet Coordination Unit should derive its annual work plans that in turn should be integrated in the Ramsar Bureau annual work plans.

06 For each action included in the Coordination Unit annual plans, the following elements should be present:

- Short description, with clear reference to the results expected.
- Identification of the driver of the action and of the eventual partners.
- Tentative time schedule.
- Indicative cost and potential funding sources.

07 A simplified version of the Logical Framework Analysis must be used throughout.

08 A system for monitoring the launching, development and progress of the actions must be developed separately, based on the indicators set in the Operational Plan. In addition, the Plan must provide for the evaluation of results after completion, which must be overseen by MedWet/Com.

09 MedWet/Com member countries should be urged to prepare short reports on the implementation of the Operational Plans for each meeting of the Committee. Based on these reports and the information at its disposal, the Coordination Unit should prepare a brief overview of the "Status of wetlands and wetland-related actions in the Mediterranean region".

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 ramsar@ramsar.org). Posted 22 April 2001, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.