Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is expected to officially open the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (COP15) in Victoria Falls today, the first time in the 55-year history of the Ramsar Convention for such a landmark event to be opened by a Head of State.
Held under the theme: “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future”, the historic global gathering is a huge endorsement to Zimbabwe’s environmental conservation milestones and is set to unlock multiple tourism and hospitality value chain spin-offs.
President Mnangagwa is set to engage and share insights with distinguished delegates, including his regional peers with emphasis on the urgent need for global collaboration to preserve the critical environmental ecosystems.
Zimbabwe is ready to take over the rotational presidency and lead the “Victoria Falls Declaration”, which seeks to position wetland restoration as a key global climate change mitigation measure. Wetlands, which cover only six percent of the earth’s terrestrial surface, are vital for biodiversity, climate resilience, and human livelihoods, experts say.
Yet, 37 percent of them have been lost since 1971, while freshwater species populations have declined by 84 percent since 1970. By hosting this prestigious event, Zimbabwe aims to lead by example in wetland conservation, and has already scored major milestones.
Yesterday, regional bodies convened to lay the groundwork for the conference where Ramsar Secretary General Dr Musonda Mumba, provided insights into the preparatory meetings.
“On day one, particularly, what we do is have regional meetings. So, we had several regional meetings. For example, the Africa group met, the Oceania group is also meeting, the Asia group is meeting, the Americas met, the Bloc of North America, the Caribbean and Latin America, all coming together and Europe as well,” he said.
“They are all meeting to discuss what is actually expected of what we call the draft resolutions. Many of these countries, our contracting parties, all 172 of them, are meeting to have a sense of what will be discussed in the plenary and what they want to see going forward in the next three years or in the coming triennium.
“The management of these wetland systems in their region should collaborate with other regions. You know, flyways, bird flyways that connect all these different regions, these conversations are happening within these regional meetings,” she said.
Dr Mumba emphasised the unprecedented nature of this year’s convention, which is the first to have a Presidential Summit.
“This COP will be the first one to be opened, not just by a head of state, but a head of state who has invited other heads of state. So, we apparently understand that there are three other heads of state that are coming, or deputy heads of state, that are coming in what is called the Presidential summit,” he said.
“So, this is the first time in the 55-year history of our convention and thanks to Zimbabwe, because they want to really put wetlands at the highest political agenda.
“This is very exciting. So, I am really looking forward to this and seeing how this will be discussed in particular because the Government of Zimbabwe and President Mnangagwa himself will be presenting what is called the Victoria Falls Declaration to declare what Zimbabwe in its presidency will do for wetlands in Zimbabwe and around the world,” she said.
The Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, stressed the importance of the Victoria Falls Declaration, which seeks to position wetland restoration as a key climate change mitigation measure.
She said the declaration will call for the establishment of a Global Wetland Restoration Fund to support conservation efforts worldwide.
COP15 is expected to catalyse three major shifts in wetland conservation that include the Victoria Falls Declaration, Integration of Wetlands into National Policies and Technological Innovation.
As delegates gather beneath the majestic Victoria Falls, the world’s attention turns to Zimbabwe’s leadership in environmental stewardship.
The outcomes of this conference will shape global efforts to protect wetlands, combat climate change, and safeguard biodiversity for future generations.
Today’s opening ceremony, graced by President Mnangagwa and fellow Heads of States, will mark a historic moment in the Ramsar Convention’s history, a testament to Zimbabwe’s commitment to elevating wetland conservation on the global stage.
@nyeve14
