Report on the Ramsar Advisory Mission to Mozambique's only Ramsar Site now available

Gland, 23 February 2010 - The final report of the Ramsar Advisory Mission No. 62 to the Marromeu Complex Ramsar Site, Mozambique’s only Ramsar Site is now available.

The Ramsar Advisory Mission (RAM) is a technical assistance mechanism operated by the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, which aims to offer assistance to Ramsar member states for the management and conservation of Wetlands of International Importance. In 2008, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat was informed of potential threats to the Marromeu Complex in the Zambezi Delta, from oil and gas prospecting activities.

In 2009, the Government of Mozambique invited the Ramsar Secretariat to activate the Ramsar Advisory Mission procedure in response. Mr. Francisco Rilla Manta, Information and Capacity Building Officer at the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), represented both the CMS and AEWA Secretariats in the RAM team which visited the site and undertook consultations at the national, provincial and district level from 16-20 August 2009.

The report, now available on the Ramsar Website summarises the Mission’s findings, and represents 24 recommendations for short- and long-term action, including suggestions for sources of further external support.

To download the report, please visit the Ramsar website at:

http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-documents-rams-ram62/main/ramsar/1-31-112%5E24429_4000_0__