The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Photos of the 3rd Pan-African Ramsar Regional Meeting, Kampala, Uganda

3^rd Pan-African Regional Meeting, Kampala, Uganda

6 - 10 July 1998

Following the Pan-European and Pan-American meetings in June, the Kampala meeting was the third Ramsar regional meeting to be held in the approach to next May's Conference of the Parties in Costa Rica.  Further regional meetings for Oceania and Asia are planned for later in the year.

Like the other meetings, the Pan-African gathering focused on a review of implementation of the Convention in the region since the last COP, Brisbane 1996, and on preparations for the next one in San Jose. Immediately following the event, Mr Delmar Blasco, the Secretary General, reported that "it ended up very successfully last Friday evening, with a cocktail party at the Fairway Hotel. The atmosphere at the party was very positive, with participants being very appreciative of the effort made by Ramsar and the Uganda Government.  Attendance was excellent, with more than 100 participants from 38 countries, plus a number of observers from international organizations, including our four NGO Partners. Results were very good, with a large number of concrete recommendations and, as always, an increased awareness about the Convention and its modus operandi. Paul Mafabi and his team at the Uganda Wetland Program worked very hard in making all the necessary arrangements and treated us with extreme care and kindness."

The report of the meeting, with its resolutions, has been prepared and is presently being checked over by the principals; it will be posted here as soon as the text has been finalized.

In the meantime, here are some nice photos of the meeting itself and, more importantly, of the party!  (It's a bit difficult at this point to name every participant in the captions, so apologies for those that are missing.)

The head table, with (front row from left) Ms Florence Luziraa of Uganda, chairperson of the meeting, and Paul Mafabi, Uganda National Wetland Programme, one of the meeting's organizers; (back row) Anada Tiéga, Ramsar Regional Coordinator for Africa, the Hon. Henry Kajura, Uganda's Minister of Lands, Water and Environment, Delmar Blasco, Secretary General of the Convention, and Mr B. K. Kabanda, Permanent Secretary in the same ministry.

(from left) Secretary General Blasco (watching for the bus), Minister Kajura, Mr Tiéga, and Permanent Secretary Kabanda.

Ms Birguy Lamizana, IUCN Wetlands Programme inWest Africa; Ms Nirina Rakotomalala, Government of Madagascar; and Ms Tiana Razafimahatratra, WWF Madagascar

The home team: Ms Florence Luziraa, chairperson of the meeting, and three other members of the Uganda delegation

Messrs Paul Mafabi and John Magezi of Uganda, speaking with the ladies from Madagascar

Mr Mac Letterick, Uganda; Mr Geoffrey Howard, IUCN Eastern African Wetlands Programme, Nairobi; Permanent Secretary Kabanda; Mr Anada Tiéga, Ramsar

Mr Abdelhamid Karem, Tunisia; Mr Ammar Boumezbeur, Algeria;  Ms Magda Sharaf-Eldin, Egypt; Mr Abdelouahed Errahioui and Mr Abdellah El Mastour, both of Morocco

Mr John O'Sullivan of RSPB, Global Treaties Officer for BirdLife International

(in the foreground, from left) Mr Fodé Lunceny Camara, Guinea, and Mr Namory Traore, Mali

On the right, Seydina Issa Sylla, Wetlands International AEME West Africa Programme, discussing current events with Mr Seyni Seydou of Niger (left) and two other delegates

Mr John Dini of South Africa (right), with colleagues

And other scenes of hilarity . . .

For further information, 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 4 August 1998, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.