VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE – Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has urged African states to invest in advanced climate-smart technologies to improve wetlands conservation efforts across the continent.
Dlamini delivered his remarks at the High-Level Segment of the Ramsar Convention’s 15th Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP 15), held at Victoria Falls.
He called for the use of cutting-edge tools for mapping, ecological design, and restoration of wetlands, noting that technological support would increase capacity and effectiveness in managing these critical ecosystems.
Dlamini said wetlands protection should be fully integrated into climate change negotiations and national planning strategies, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Paris Agreement, and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). He stressed that accurate data is essential to guide environmental policy and development decisions.
Eswatini, according to the Prime Minister, has taken active steps through the approval of the National Wetlands Policy (2023) and the Wetlands Strategy and Action Plan (2023–2034), which align with the Ramsar Convention’s strategic goals.
He pointed to local community efforts in Eswatini, where citizens have taken initiative to reverse the loss of wetland areas. He also referenced the cultural importance of wetlands, noting that the annual Umhlanga Reed Dance is dependent on the availability of healthy reed ecosystems.
Sharing a success story, Dlamini said one rural community in Eswatini saw the return of rare bird and plant species as well as restored water sources after a wetlands conservation effort.
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