What's New @ Ramsar

Wetlands International and The Netherlands collaborate on innovative programme for wetlands

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Ground-breaking agreement for conservation and wise use of wetlands

To explore a new way of working with its development assistance partners, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its Directoraat-Generaal Internationale Samenwerking (DGIS), has concluded an agreement with Wetlands International over cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. DGIS is providing Euro 2.2 million (US$ 2 million) to Wetlands International for an initial period from 1 April 2001 to 30 June 2002 inclusive, for delivery of a Programme on Conservation and Wise Use of Wetlands.

Beneficiaries of the fund will include DGIS target countries and neighbouring countries sharing a common resource, such as water catchments or fisheries.

In addition to the country-specific targeting the programme gives direct support to eligible International Conventions and Agreements including:

• Ramsar / Wetlands International Joint Work Plan
• Ramsar / CBD Joint Work Plan
• CBD/Ramsar River Basin Initiative
• Ramsar Training and Advisory Service
• World Commission on Dams Report and follow up actions
• Work Plans with other relevant conventions (e.g. under preparation, notably CMS – the Bonn Convention on migratory species and their habitats).

The global Programme will deliver actions in the following Focal Areas

• Peatlands
• Wetlands and Poverty Alleviation
• Inventory and assessment
• River Basin Initiative
• Training and Outreach (servicing the four Focal Areas above)

The delivery of projects will be ground-breaking for Wetlands International, using not only staff from within Wetlands International, but also through increased cooperation with partners including WWF, IUCN and BirdLife. Close collaboration will also take place with the DGIS-supported IUCN Water and Nature Initiative and the Netherlands IUCN Small Grants for Wetlands Programme.

In the coming months specific projects and activities will be designed and delivered following global, regional and national assessment.

This is an exciting new development for Wetlands International, which carries the responsibility not only to target appropriately its work through a strategy-led wetlands programme, but also to evaluate the outcomes of project activities. Wetland International firmly believes that the programme areas set out in the agreement will result in greater sustainable wetland management and improvements in the livelihoods and security of wetland-related human populations.

For more information please contact:
Doug Taylor
Wetlands International
PO Box 471
6700 AL Wageningen
The Netherlands
e-mail taylor@wetlands.agro.nl
www.wetlands.org

1 June 2001

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 ramsar@ramsar.org). Posted 2 June 2001, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.