Membership will make possible coastal zone management initiatives.
KARACHI Feb 01 (IUCN PR): Pakistan has been accepted as a full member country at the Regional Steering Committee meeting held in Thailand between January 25-28, 2010. The Pakistan delegation was led by the Secretary Ministry of Environment, Kamran Lashari, while other members of the delegation included Shah Murad Aliani, Country Representative IUCN Pakistan, and Mahmood Akhtar Cheema, Manager Islamabad office IUCN Pakistan.
Photo: IUCN
Prior to this, Pakistan, along with Bangladesh, Kenya, Malaysia, Tanzania and Viet Nam was a dialogue country. MFF was launched by the former US President Bill Clinton in December 2006, and initiated by IUCN and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), with FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), CARE and Wetlands International joining in.
The focal countries included those hit hardest by the 2004 Tsunami, like India, Indonesia, Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The “Mangroves for the Future (MFF)” is a unique partner-led initiative to promote investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for sustainable development and coastline security. It provides a collaborative platform among the many different agencies, sectors and countries who are addressing challenges to coastal ecosystem and livelihood issues, to work towards a common goal.
At the regional level, implementation of the initiative is guided by a Regional Steering Committee co-chaired by IUCN and UNDP, which includes representation from national governments, UN agencies and international NGOs with a regional mandate.
Pakistan had participated in three steering committees meetings, including the one in 2009, in Seychelles in which it was decided that dialogue countries could become regular members provided they fulfill criteria of establishing a National Coordinating Body and prepare a National Strategy and Action Plan.
Pakistan successfully completed this process before the Regional Steering Committee meeting and its strategy and action plan was very well received and held up as a model for other countries. As a result of successful completion of process Pakistan has been accepted as regular member of MFF.
This will enable Pakistan to receive funding for institutional strengthening, capacity building and for implementation of small and large projects in coastal areas of Pakistan from April 2010.
For more information, please contact:
Afia Salam
Coordinator, Education, Communications and Outreach.
IUCN Pakistan
1 Bath Island Road
Clifton, Karachi 75530
+92 21 5861540 (Work)
+92 21 5835760 (Fax)
Cell : 0300 0223019
email: afia.salam@iucn.org
www.iucnp.org
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