MONDAY, 30 JANUARY 2006: The Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Rejoice Mabudafhasi will on the 30 January 2006 address the International Wetlands workshop in St Lucia KZN. This workshop, organized by Wetlands International and the Wetlands and Livelihoods Working Group, hopes to strengthen partnerships among government, non-government, academic and private environment and development/aid agencies in sharing knowledge and experiences in the integration of livelihoods, poverty and environment issues. While the workshop will largely focus on wetland conservation, water, poverty reduction and livelihoods issues in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America, it will also strive to influence inter-sectoral development for poverty reduction and sustainable wetland management in all regions of the world.

South Africa was selected as the host country for this workshop due to demonstrated experience shown, in linking the needs of people with a policy on wetland protection and restoration. Moreover, with water shortage in many areas and numerous communities dependent on fresh water ecosystems, South Africa has illustrated innovative approaches to finding solutions that work for nature and people. The Working for Wetlands program, where the poor can earn a living and develop new skills through restoring wetlands is one such example and one that could potentially be replicated in other countries of the world.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has declared 2006 as the International Year of the Deserts and Desertification (IYDD). The IYDD is aimed at raising public awareness on desertification and encourage the protection of biological diversity (of which wetlands are part) and the Traditional Knowledge of affected communities. The IYDD therefore presents an opportunity to relay to the communities relevant messages that encourage sustainable utilization of natural resources including wetlands ecosystems said the Deputy Minister.

The workshop happens against the backdrop of the Ninth Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP9) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands held in Kampala, Uganda, from 8 to 15 November 2005.

This was the first Ramsar Conference to be held on the African Continent since the signing of the Convention in 1971. One of the Resolutions adopted at the conference; COP9 (Resolution IX.14) recognises the role that wetlands play in poverty eradication.
The resolution urges Contracting Parties to undertake the following:
?Raise awareness of the links between wetland degradation and poverty;
?Give priority or support to conservation and wise use of water and wetland in national poverty eradication strategies;
?Create partnerships between local communities, developers and conservationists;
?Ensure gender equity in sustainable wetland management strategies

At regional level the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) represents Africas response to addressing poverty and land degradation. The NEPAD Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAAD) indicates Africas commitment to sustainable land management and reducing hunger.

In a message directed to the participants the Deputy Minister said this workshop affords us an opportunity to exchange ideas and learn from each other best practices to protect our wetlands for the benefit of humanity. She went on to urge all participants to utilise the time fruitfully and constructively to come up with lasting and sustainable solutions facing wetlands and the environment in general.

Adress by the Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi at the International Workshop on Wetlands, Water and Livelihoods.

St Lucia, KZN, South Africa 30 January 2006

Programme Director,
The CEO of Wetlands International Jane Madgwick
Andrew Zaloumis, CEO Greater St Lucia Wetland Park
Honourable Mayor Lawrence Mthombeni of the Umkhanyakude District Municipality
Members of the Academia
Representatives from the different NGOs
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

Programme Director allow me to thank Wetlands International and SANBI for bringing this workshop to our shores. I would also like to thank the ministry for Foreign Affairs of Netherlands for making this workshop possible through funding.

This is indeed a very important workshop as it seeks to explore the mainstreaming of poverty and environment issues in wetlands management.

The workshop happens against the backdrop of the Ninth Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP9) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands held in Kampala, Uganda, from 8 to 15 November 2005.

It is encouraging that this was the first Ramsar Conference to be held on the African Continent since the signing of the Convention in 1971. One of the Resolutions adopted at the conference; COP9 (Resolution IX.14) recognises the role that wetlands play in poverty eradication.

The resolution urges Contracting Parties to undertake the following:

Raise awareness of the links between wetland degradation and poverty;
Give priority or support to conservation and wise use of water and wetland in national poverty eradication strategies;
Create partnerships between local communities, developers and conservationists;
Ensure gender equity in sustainable wetland management strategies
Programme Director, I am sure that all of us who were present during the conference were instrumental in drafting the final text of the resolution.

This resolution further urges African Contracting Parties to implement the wetland component (Programme Area 2) of the Environment Initiative of NEPAD, to build upon the decisions contained in Resolution VIII.44, and drawing links between implementation of NEPAD and poverty reduction.

The core objective of the Environment Initiative is to combat poverty and contribute to socio-economic development in Africa. It has been demonstrated in other parts of the world that measures taken to achieve a healthy environmental base can contribute greatly to employment, social and economic empowerment, and reduction of poverty. One of the eight sub-themes targeted for priority interventions is wetland conservation. This involves the implementation of African best practices on wetland conservation, where social and ecological benefits are derived from private sector investment.

The recognition of NEPAD by the Ramsar Convention led to the development at COP8, of a Resolution mentioned above.

Programme Director we are all aware that the 2nd of February each year is World Wetlands Day (WWD), marking the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. WWD was celebrated for the first time in 1997. Since then, each year, government and government agencies, non-governmental organisations and groups of citizens at all levels of the community take advantage of the opportunity to undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general and the Ramsar Convention in particular.

The suggested theme for WWD 2006, “Wetlands as a tool in poverty alleviation”, is closely linked to the theme for COP9, which was “Wetlands and water – supporting life, sustaining livelihoods.
Programme Director, wherever you live, you don't have to look far to see the degradation and loss of wetland ecosystems and the services they provide.

If properly managed, wetlands can be a vital lifeline for the poor, and hence the adopted common slogan of the WWD 2006, 'In the face of poverty . . . wetlands are lifelines'. This is especially relevant for the rural poor, who comprise three-quarters of all poor households worldwide. To them, wetlands are a primary source of rural income.
We are particularly proud that one of reasons Wetlands International choose to have this workshop in South Africa was because of the success of the Working for Water Project. With water shortage in many areas and numerous communities dependent on fresh water ecosystems, South Africa has illustrated innovative approaches to finding solutions that work for nature and people. The Working for Wetlands program, where the poor can earn a living and develop new skills through restoring wetlands is one such example and one that could potentially be replicated in other countries of the world.

Programme Director it is imperative to highlight the importance of conservation of wetland as part of the focus area during the year 2006, as it has been declared the International Year of the Deserts and Desertification (IYDD) by the United Nations General Assembly.

The United Nation has appointed the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) as the focal point for the celebration of the year. In the context of the UNCCD, desertification is defined as the process that leads to persistent decrease in the supply of ecosystem goods and services such as the supply of water, grazing, biodiversity etc. The IYDD is aimed at raising public awareness on the issue of desertification and encourage the protection of biological diversity and the Traditional Knowledge of affected communities.

As already highlighted the role of wetlands in the poverty eradication is of paramount significance and the IYDD therefore presents a great opportunity to relay to the communities relevant messages that encourage sustainable utilisation of natural resources including wetlands ecosystem services. With the UNCCD, the international community possesses a key instrument to deliver the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that must be met by 2015. The MDGs demonstrate the most comprehensive and ambitious strategy ever put forward to combat global poverty.

Implementation of the UNCCD and reducing poverty require commitment of adequate resources. The international Conference on Financing for Development held in Monterrey, Mexico in 2002 called upon developed countries to increase aid and investment for development. This call was reaffirmed at the Millennium Review Summit held in September last year. The G8 plan of Action also makes commitment for increased official development aid for Africa.

At regional level the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) represents Africa’s response to addressing poverty and land degradation. The NEPAD Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAAD) indicates Africa’s commitment to sustainable land management and reducing hunger. Programme Director, caring about the environment in Sub-Saharan Africa is not a luxury but a prime necessity because African economies depend heavily on their capital of natural resources.

Land degradation and frequent droughts in South Africa undermines the productive potential of land and water resources.
Roughly 80% of South African land is used for Agriculture and subsistence livelihoods. Although land degradation affects all people in the country, it is the rural poor that are most impacted, as they rely on natural resources for their livelihoods. Failure to combat land degradation will have severe consequences for the rural poor.

As a Party to the UNCCD, South Africa is committed to put sustainable land management and combating land degradation as a core element of its national strategy for Reconstruction and Development. The National Action Programme priorities are being integrated into other sectors’ development strategies and being implemented by different agencies and departments.

With the assistance of the Global Mechanism and South African Development Bank, South Africa has developed a Private Sector Resource mobilisation Strategy in order to mobilize resources for implementation of our National Action Programme.

Initiatives like the National Land-Care programmes, Working for Water and Community Based Public Works Programme are some of the national initiatives where government is investing money in the rural infrastructure, ensure sustainable land management, rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems and addressing poverty through job creation.

Programme Director this workshop affords us an opportunity to exchange ideas and learn from each other best practices to protect our wetlands for the benefit of humanity. Let us utilise the time we have fruitfully and constructively to come up with lasting and sustainable solutions facing wetlands and the environment in general.

I wish you all the luck in you deliberations.

Thank you.