Notification

Designation of representatives to the Standing Committee 2018-2021 and Working Groups

Date: 11.02.2019

Designation of representatives to the Standing Committee 2018-2021 and Working Groups of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
 
In 2018, the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP13) adopted Resolution XIII.4 on Responsibilities, roles and composition of the Standing Committee and regional categorization of countries under the Ramsar Convention and decided the composition of the Committee for the period 2018-2021. The Resolution can be accessed on the Convention website at the following address: https://www.ramsar.org/document/resolution-xiii4-responsibilities-roles-and-composition-of-the-standing-committee-and.
 
The composition of the Standing Committee and its working groups and subgroups is listed below, and published on the Convention website at the page: https://www.ramsar.org/about/current-standing-committee-2018-2021-members. This page will be updated as necessary.
 
The Standing Committee
 
The regional composition, functions, and responsibilities of the Standing Committee and its members are governed by Resolution XIII.4 (2018), which supersedes the former arrangements set out in Resolution VII.1 (1999) and Resolution XII.4 (2015).
 
Voting members (Regional Representatives):
 
 
Members
Alternate members
 
 
 
Africa
Algeria
Libya
Chad
Central African Republic
Sierra Leone
Senegal
Uganda
Rwanda
Zambia
Lesotho
 
 
 
Asia
Bhutan
Philippines
Japan
China
Oman
Kuwait
 
 
 
Europe
Armenia
Russian Federation
Azerbaijan
Ukraine
Sweden
Estonia
United Kingdom
Austria
 
 
 
Latin America and the Caribbean
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Dominican Republic
Saint Lucia
 
Uruguay
Ecuador
 
 
 
North America
Mexico
United States of America
 
 
 
Oceania
Australia
Fiji
 
  • COP13 host: United Arab Emirates (Chair)
  • COP14 host: to be determined
  • Contracting Party Permanent Observer: Switzerland, host country of the Secretariat
The first meeting of the current Standing Committee (SC56) elected the United Arab Emirates as its Chair and Sweden as Vice-Chair.
 
The Management Working Group
 
The Management Working Group, established in Resolutions IX.24 and X.4, is composed of:
  • Uruguay as outgoing Standing Committee Chair for the 2015-2018 triennium;
  • Australia as outgoing Standing Committee Vice-Chair for the 2015-2018 triennium;
  • The United Arab Emirates as current Standing Committee Chair;
  • Sweden as current Standing Committee Vice-Chair;
  • Senegal as outgoing Chair of the Subgroup on Finance;
  • Mexico as current Chair of the Subgroup on Finance;
  • The Chair of the STRP for the 2019-2021 triennium (to be determined);
  • The Chair of the STRP for the 2015-2018 triennium;
  • Other interested Parties, keeping in mind the desirability of equitable regional participation: to be determined;
  • Representative of the International Organization Partners: Wildfowl & Wetland Trust (WWT);
  • Secretary General (ex officio).
Contracting Parties interested in participating in the Management Working Group should contact the Secretariat at the following email address by 18 February: bremond@ramsar.org.
 
The Subgroup on Finance
 
The Standing Committee at its 56th meeting (Decision SC56-03) elected the following Contracting Parties to the Subgroup on Finance, noting that the Subgroup was open to participation of other interested Parties:
  • Sierra Leone, representing the Africa region;
  • Japan, representing the Asia region;
  • Estonia, representing the Europe region;
  • Costa Rica, representing the Latin America and the Caribbean region;
  • Mexico (Chair), representing the North America region;
  • Australia, representing the Oceania region;
  • Senegal, as the outgoing Chair of the Subgroup on Finance;
  • The United States of America as an interested Party.
Contracting Parties interested in participating in the Subgroup on Finance should contact the Secretariat at the following email address by 18 February: bremond@ramsar.org
 
The Effectiveness Working Group
 
The Conference of Contracting Parties established the Effectiveness Working Group through Resolution XIII.3 on Governance of the Convention.
 
The Standing Committee at its 56th meeting (Decision SC56-06) agreed that:
  • The membership of the Effectiveness Working Group comprised the following Contracting Parties: Australia, Austria, Bhutan, Cameroon, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, the Netherlands, Senegal, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Uruguay and Zambia, noting that some Parties might withdraw in order to respect the aim of regional balance; and
  • The Group would appoint a Chair and Vice-Chair, define its terms of reference and report at SC57.
The Strategic Plan Working Group
 
The Conference of Contracting Parties established the Strategic Plan Working Group
through Resolution XIII.5 on Review of the fourth Strategic Plan of the Ramsar Convention.
 
The Standing Committee at its 56th meeting (Decision SC56-08) agreed that the Strategic Plan Working Group comprises the following Contracting Parties:
  • Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Benin, Bhutan, the Dominican Republic, Oman, Senegal, South Africa, Switzerland, Uganda and the United States of America.
The Ramsar Regional Initiatives Working Group
 
The Standing Committee at its 56th meeting agreed to defer further consideration of the Ramsar Regional Initiatives Working Group until its 57th meeting.
 
Subgroup on COP14
 
To be determined.
 
CEPA Oversight Panel
 
To be determined.
 
 
Edmund Jennings
Documentation Officer
Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
28 rue Mauverney, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland
Tel. +41 22 999 0365; fax +41 22 999 0169

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