THE 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands kicked off in Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls resort town yesterday, drawing delegates from 172 countries.
Running from July 23-31, COP15 is themed “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future” and is expected to culminate in the adoption of the Victoria Falls Declaration — a landmark commitment to scale up wetland restoration and establish a Global Wetland Restoration Fund.
Speaking ahead of the meeting on Tuesday night, minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife Evelyn Ndlovu underscored the urgency of action. “Wetland conservation is not just an environmental concern, it is a climate imperative, a hydrological necessity and a development obligation,” Ndlovu said.
She said key initiatives to be launched at COP15 include the Global Wetland Watch platform for real-time monitoring and the African Wetland Observatory Network to support grassroots solutions, as well as the integration of wetlands into national climate and biodiversity frameworks, including Wetland City Accreditation.
Convention on Wetlands secretary general Musonda Mumba described the moment as historic, marking the second time that the meeting has been hosted on African soil. “This is not just a meeting of governments — it’s a platform for science, diplomacy, and community to come together around a common goal: protecting wetlands for our common future,” she said.
The Ramsar Convention, signed in 1971 in Iran, is the world’s only international treaty focused exclusively on wetlands. It promotes the wise use of wetlands and has designated over 2 500 Ramsar sites globally. Zimbabwe ratified the convention in 2012 and currently hosts seven Ramsar sites, including Lake Chivero, Mana Pools and Monavale Vlei.
According to the Convention Secretariat, the world has lost over 411 million hectares of natural wetlands since 1970, with a financing gap of up to $550 billion threatening restoration efforts.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to formally open the summit later this week. Delegates will also tour the Kasibo Wetland in Hwange, showcasing Zimbabwe’s nature-based restoration efforts. —AP