MedWet took part in two Ramsar events in Marrakech, supporting the South Africa Ramsar Regional Initiative (SARRI) and attending the Ramsar Pre-COP meeting for Africa.

The SARRI initiative aims to create a new Ramsar Regional Initiative (RRI) for Southern Africa, and this was the second workshop that we attended, run by NatureXpairs and supported by the French Biodiversity Agency. The event brought together representatives from 12 southern African countries and built on last year’s first workshop in La Réunion. Tobias Salathé, Gordana Beltram (online) and Chris Rostron took part, leading discussions and using the experience of MedWet to support SARRI’s next steps.

Group photo of the participants at the SARRI workshop. © Emmanuelle Sarat

Through a series of presentations, workshops and interactive activities, the meeting resulted in signing of the terms of references, developing the basis for a work plan and strategy, and starting to identify specific projects to get the initiative going.

Chris Rostron at the SARRI workshop in Marrakech. © Emmanuelle Sarat

There then followed the pre-COP meeting for Africa, preparing for Ramsar’s COP15 which will take place in Zimbabwe in July this year. The group of countries from across Africa discussed the proposed Draft Resolutions, created position statements for the region and worked on how African countries will be represented.

Chris Rostron at the Africa Pre-COP 2025 of the Ramsar Convention. © Emmanuelle Sarat

Chris, Giancarlo Gusmaroli and Marianne Courouble from MedWet gave an update on our activities, including our role in SARRI, and used the opportunity to make connections with MedWet focal points from across the region.

MedWet team at the Africa Pre-COP 2025 of the Ramsar Convention. © Emmanuelle Sarat

We left the meetings with a great set of contacts, reinforced existing relationships with countries and created new relationships with contracting parties and other funders and NGOs that attended.

The MedWet team shares its insights and reflections on participating in the African Ramsar Pre-COP held in Morocco

Chris Rostron and Sandra Mulenga Ponde, Ramsar Focal Point for Zambia, sharing their feedback on the SARRI workshop.