The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, called the Ramsar convention, is an inter governmental treaty that provides a framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
Ramsar is a city in Iran where this international convention was signed between different countries in 1971. The convention is an agreement between the countries (contracting parties) on how to manage specific wetlands to ensure its sustainability and wise use of its natural resources, most notably water.
Benefits of the Ramsar Convention includes:
- Increased public awareness
- Increased participation by local stakeholders
- Provides greater support for protection and conservation of the site
- Increased access to conservation funding
- Enhanced opportunities for research and ecotourism
5 South Africa 21 Dec 1975
66 Zambia 28 Dec 1991
91 Namibia 23 Dec 1995
97 Malawi 14 Mar 1997
98 Botswana 9 Apr 1997
113 Madagascar 25 Jan 1999
139 Lesotho 1 Nov 2004
141 Mozambique 3 Dec 2004
164 Zimbabwe 3 May 2013
165 Swaziland 15 Jun 2013
For more information, read this document that was produced by SAN Parks in 2007,
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