The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The Ramsar Convention's Swiss Grant for Africa

Swiss Grant for Africa - Summary for 2005

The Swiss Grant for Africa is a generous voluntary contribution offered annually to the Ramsar Convention Bureau by the Federal Government of Switzerland, over and above the annual contribution provided to the Convention’s core budget, in order to support wetland conservation and wise use and the implementation of the Convention in Africa. This annual contribution dates back to 1989 following the establishment of the Convention secretariat in Switzerland in 1988.

The Swiss Grant is extremely useful in financing suitable emergency action or specific activities in needy areas of wetland conservation and wise use. This contribution is also particularly helpful in promoting the Convention in the region.

Summary of allocations for the 2005 cycle

The Federal Government of Switzerland has approved the recent proposal submitted by the Ramsar Secretariat in the framework of the Swiss Grant for Africa.

This year, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Tunisia and Uganda will receive financial support from the Swiss Grant for Africa.

The grants to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tunisia will serve for the preparation of their National Wetland Policies.

Ghana, which developed her National Wetlands Strategy in 1999, will receive financial support to turn the strategy into an action plan.

The grant to Uganda will serve for the restoration and/or rehabilitation of the Nakivubo wetland, which is polluted with heavy metals and used for yams cultivation in the peri-urban zone of Kampala.

The grant has already served for the preparation of a documentary on the links between poverty and wise use of wetlands in the Niger River Inner Delta.

The total amount to be disbursed is SFR130,000 for one year's duration.

For further information about 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 14 February 2006, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.