The UAE took part in a press event hosted by the Standing Committee of the Ramsar Convention to discuss preparations for the 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP13), which will be held in Dubai from 21st to 29th October, 2018.
Obaid Salem Al Zaabi, UAE Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva welcomed the participants and affirmed UAE’s readiness to host the event in collaboration with the team at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the Convention’s Standing Committee.
He stated that playing host to the COP13 emanates from the UAE leadership’s keenness to preserve wetlands both regionally and globally, given their crucial role in providing drinking water and controlling shoreline erosion.
The UAE treats wetlands management as an important part of its policy to tackle climate change, he added.
While pointing out that the UAE has 43 protected areas, Al Zaabi referred to the National Ecotourism Project as an example of the country’s commitment to preserving the environment.
Martha Rojas Urrego, Secretary-General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, thanked the UAE for hosting the 13th Meeting of the conference, which will be held under the theme "Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future."
She made a presentation about the most important topics and side events at the conference.