Side event details

An event to highlight the importance of the proposed Lisima Water Tower Ramsar Site (and the greater Angolan Highlands Water Tower of which it forms a part) to the future of food and water security for millions of people, the world’s largest-remaining elephant population, Victoria Falls and Kariba Dam, and the long-term resilience of the Okavango, Kwando, Zambezi, Congo, and Kwanza Rivers to the escalating impacts of climate change. This includes El Niño–Southern Oscillation, arguably the world’s
most important climatic phenomenon. This side event will showcase the hydrological, ecological, and socio-economic importance of the source lakes, peatlands, and wetlands in the eastern Angolan Highlands. In recent years the frequency and severity of catastrophic drought events has caused famine and reduced the hydroelectric power generation from the Zambezi, both of which have far reaching socio-economic effects. Therefore the recognition of Angola’s pivotal role in sustaining regional water security is of paramount importance.

Side event is intended to increase awareness of and foster increased collaboration for the protection of the potential Ramsar site of the Angolan Highlands Water Tower as the most significant source of freshwater in Southern Africa.

Address by Dr Musonda Mumba (Secretary General, Ramsar Convention) and presentation by Dr Steve Boyes, National Geographic Explorer.
Panel with Vladimir Russo (Fundação Lisima), Phera S. Ramoeli (Executive Secretary, OKACOM),
Felix M. Ngamlagosi (Executive Secretary, ZAMCOM), moderated by Dr Nyambe Nyambe (Executive
Director, KAZA TFCA).