Notification
Call for proposals for new Ramsar Regional Initiatives 2021-2024
Date: 30.07.2020
Diplomatic Note 2020/8
Call for proposals for new Ramsar Regional Initiatives 2021-2024
The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands presents its compliments to the Permanent Missions and Administrative Authorities of the Contracting Parties to the Convention, and has the honour of issuing a call for proposals by Contracting Parties for new Ramsar Regional Initiatives (RRIs) to be formally recognized as operating within the framework of the Convention during the 2021-2024 triennium.
The RRIs, which include centres for training and capacity building and networks which facilitate cooperation, are intended as operational means to provide effective support for an improved implementation of the Convention and its Strategic Plan in specific geographic regions, through international cooperation on wetland-related issues of common concern.
Resolution XIII.9 on Regional Initiatives 2019-2021 (https://www.ramsar.org/document/resolution-xiii9-ramsar-regional-initiatives-2019-2021) requests that the Standing Committee endorse proposals for new initiatives submitted intersessionally before the 14th meeting of the Conference of Contracting Parties (COP14), on the basis of a positive assessment of the compliance of their structure and work plan with the principles in paragraph 8 of the same Resolution. The Resolution also instructs the Secretariat to open the call for proposals for new RRIs, to be endorsed by the Conference of the Parties at COP14 or by the Standing Committee at its meetings before COP14.
Accordingly, the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands is pleased to invite Administrative Authorities of Contracting Parties to submit proposals for new Regional Initiatives to operate during the 2021-2024 triennium.
Proposals apply to regional networks and regional centres for training and capacity building to be endorsed as operating within the framework of the Convention based on the Operational Guidelines for Regional Initiatives (https://www.ramsar.org/document/sc52-22-operational-guidelines-for-ramsar-regional-initiatives-to-support-the) and the provisions of Resolution XIII.9.
Administrative Authorities of Contracting Parties aiming for their new initiatives to be formally recognized during the period of the triennium 2021-2024 should download and complete the forms attached with the present Note, and send them by 31 December 2020 to Reiko Iitsuka, Senior Regional Advisor for Asia and Oceania at the Secretariat (iitsuka@ramsar.org) with a copy to the Senior Regional Advisor for their region.
The Standing Committee will consider the proposals received at its 59th meeting (the date of which remains to be decided) for possible endorsement and subsequent approval at COP14 in 2021, in accordance with the Operational Guidelines and the provisions of Resolution XIII.9.
The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands respectfully avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Permanent Missions and Administrative Authorities of the Contracting Parties to the Convention the assurance of its highest consideration.
Gland, 30 July 2020
 |
Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
28 rue Mauverney, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland Tel. +41 22 999 0365; fax +41 22 999 0169 |