Recommendations of the Cagliari Conference

Recommendation 1.10 on a Permanent secretariat

The 1st Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties
Cagliari, Italy
24-29 November 1980

Recommendation 1.10: [A permanent secretariat]

The Conference

ACKNOWLEDGING with appreciation the work done by IUCN to perform the continuing bureau functions according to Article 8 of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, and the important work of IWRB in the implementation of the Convention;

RECOGNIZING that the more effective promotion and implementation of the Convention requires the provision of an adequately funded, full-time small permanent secretariat, as envisaged in the World Conservation Strategy;

AWARE that Article 8.1 states that IUCN shall perform the continuing bureau functions until such time as another organization or government is appointed by a majority of two thirds of all Contracting Parties;

NOTING that under the Conventions on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn), the Secretariat is provided by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), who may be assisted by suitable and technically qualified intergovernmental and non-governmental international or national agencies and bodies;

RECOMMENDS that

a) the Executive Director of UNEP be invited to indicate whether he is prepared to provide the permanent secretariat for the Ramsar Convention, if the Contracting Parties should decide to amend the Convention to make provision for such a secretariat, with related financial provisions to ensure total funding through mandatory contributions from the Contracting Parties;

b) IUCN in cooperation with IWRB draw up a proposal with an indication of the minimum amount necessary for the interim period (including necessary scientific support from IWRB), pending the establishment of a permanent secretariat, and forward this proposal to all Contracting Parties by 31 December 1980; this proposal to contain the activities as set out in Article 8.2 of the Convention;

c) the Contracting Parties should give sympathetic consideration to making voluntary contributions towards the costs of such interim arrangements, and reply on this point, and the proposed activities and draft budget, to IUCN not later than 1 March 1981;

d) IUCN, on the basis of any comments received from Contracting Parties to the proposal under (b) above, should prepare a revised proposal and transmit it to

• the Contracting Parties, with a request that they make such voluntary contributions as they have agreed to as soon as possible; and to
• the Executive Director of UNEP with a request that he invite the Governing Council at its ninth session in May 1981 to consider providing any additional support which might be required for the interim arrangements from the fund of UNEP.

For more information about the Recommendations of the Cagliari COP or the Ramsar Convention itself, 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 5 March 1997, updated 11 March 2000, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.