The Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative (IBRRI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with EAAFP Secretariat on 25 September, 2020. The agreement aims to promote collaboration and strengthen conservation and management of wetlands and associated migratory birds in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam, including activities related to the IBRRI.
The Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative (IBRRI) was jointly developed by the Ramsar National Focal Points of the five countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam), and IUCN’s Asia Regional Office representing the Secretariat for IBRRI. It was endorsed by the 52nd meeting of the Ramsar Convention Standing Committee in June 2016.
After signing the MoU, IBRRI and EAAFP Secretariat will support national governments in designating new FNS and Ramsar sites to provide a sustainably managed network of important wetlands that support biodiversity. In addition, to explore opportunities on developing joint programmes to support the conservation of short-distance migratory birds species in the IBRRI region, species action plans, CEPA activities, best practices sharing and information exchange, coordinated approach, and possibly joint events and interventions during key global events.
In addition to signing an MoU with EAAFP Secretariat, IBRRI also signed an MoU with Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia (RRC-EA) on 31 July, 2020. “The jurisdictions of the three Ramsar Regional Initiatives overlap in the five Indo-Burma countries. This provides a unique opportunity for the parties to coordinate our actions to maximize the conservation benefits for wetlands. By providing technical and financial support to national governments, we all hope to achieve our shared goals of strengthening wetlands and biodiversity conservation in the region,” concluded Raphael Glemet, Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative Secretariat.
Doug Watkins, Chief Executive of the EAAFP Secretariat said, “At the IBBRI Meeting in early 2020 in Cambodia, I found tremendous enthusiasm and engagement of participants. It is so powerful when government officers can see that they face similar challenges, but are all able to contribute to delivering stronger outcomes for migratory waterbirds and their habitats across the region. The EAAFP Secretariat looks forward to collaborating with IBBRI, to have new nominations to the EAA Flyway Site Network and to support capacity building to maintain these sites for waterbirds and the local people that depend on the ecosystem services that wetlands provide.”
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