Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve,Victoria Falls Reporter
The Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Dr Musonda Mumba, has arrived in Victoria Falls ahead of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, where global leaders will convene to address critical wetland conservation issues.
Dr Mumba was warmly welcomed by Ambassador Tadeus Chifamba, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, alongside other senior Government officials.
The high-profile meeting, set to kick off on Wednesday in Victoria Falls, marks a significant moment for Zimbabwe as it hosts the prestigious environmental summit.
Speaking shortly after her arrival, Dr Mumba expressed her enthusiasm for the event, emphasising its importance for Africa and global wetland preservation.
“I am very happy to be here. I am here in Zimbabwe to support and also celebrate with the Government of Zimbabwe and all of our 172 contracting parties the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties, or what we see as COP15,” she said.
“So this was a decision that the Government of Zimbabwe offered in 2022 when we had the last COP, that they will host the next COP. I am very excited because this is the second time this COP is happening in Africa after so many years. The world will be meeting on the edge of this beautiful and exciting waterfall, the Victoria Falls, to really discuss the plight of wetlands globally.”
Dr Mumba highlighted the significance of the timing, noting that the event follows last week’s 40th anniversary of the African Ministerial Summit on the Environment (AMSEN) in Nairobi, where Zimbabwe’s Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, played a key role.
“What was exciting is that firstly, we launched the Global Wetland Outlook, which is the third edition, 2025, and this Wetland Outlook was talking about the cost of loss of wetlands,” she explained.
“If we lose the Victoria Falls, for example, what are we going to lose? We are going to lose tourism, we are going to lose water, we are going to lose livelihoods, we are going to lose the revenue that comes to this country and the ecosystem services that this nature provides.”
She also commended Minister Ndlovu’s leadership in ensuring that wetlands took centre stage at AMSEN, resulting in the first-ever dedicated decision on wetland conservation by African ministers.
With COP15 set to begin, Zimbabwe is set to showcase its commitment to environmental sustainability while reinforcing the urgent need for global cooperation in protecting the world’s wetlands.
“This is such great news just a week before the COP,” she said.
Delegates from across the world are expected to arrive in Victoria Falls in the coming days, with the conference set to place Zimbabwe at the forefront of global conservation efforts.
