Saturday, 12 November
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Plenary
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Li Jiechuan, China, welcomed inclusion of the International Water
Management Institute as a new International Organization Partner.
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Bruce Gray, Australia, urged terms of reference be developed and a
timetable be set to complete the review of COP decisions before COP10.
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Douglas Taylor, Wetlands International, suggested the Scientific and
Technical Review Panel (STRP) to participate in the review, and
suggested reference to ways of holding Parties accountable for COP
resolutions.
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Anderson Koye, Kenya, said the review is aimed at avoiding duplication of
COP decisions.
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Susana Calvo Roy, Spain, said the Standing Committee should send an
expert to the COP to define how the COP can contribute to the STRP's work.
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Clayton Rubec, Canada, expressed concern over budget implications of the
Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) Oversight Panel.
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"Pom" Onoora, Thailand, proposed organizing subregional meetings to
discuss common interests for further discussion at regional fora.
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Jamie Pittock, WWF, welcomed Draft Resolution 21 Rev.1 on integrated,
cross-biome planning and management of wetlands, especially in small
island developing States.
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Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland, announced withdrawal of Draft Resolution
23 on Wetlands of the Antarctic, but called for information exchange
with the Arctic Council and the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat on polar
wetlands conservation.
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Nik Kiddle, New Zealand, noted the absence of information on cost
implications of managing wetlands and waterbirds in response to highly
pathogenic avian influenza.
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Claudine Sakimin, Suriname, opposed a paragraph in Draft Resolution 25
on developing guidlines for landscape planning in response to avian
influenza.
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Moustafa Fouda, Egypt, called for an integrated approach in addressing
avian flu.
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Technical Sessions
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Sybille Vermont, Switzerland and Kemi Awoyinka, Wetlands International,
headed the technical session on applying the wise use principle in
integrated water management, which featured speakers from the Ramsar
secretariat, South Africa, Japan, IUCN, and the International Water
Management Institute.
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The technical session on Culture and knowledge in wetland management
featured speakers from the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and
Anthropos (Med-INA), Thailand, Mexico, Spain, and traditional
elders from the Paroo River area of Australia.
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Ministerial Dialogue
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Kahinda Otafiire, Uganda's Minister for Water Land and Environment,
chaired an informal Ministerial Dialogue organized by Uganda, attended
by ministers from 12 countries and high level representatives from
at least 7 more. The meeting, inter alia, endorsed the principles
enshrined in the outcomes of CSD-13 and the 2005-2015 "Water for
Life" Decade, stressed the importance of Africa's wetlands to
livelihoods, and discussed and supported the draft Kampala Declaration.
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Around COP9
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Rebecca D'Cruz, Synthesis Team Co-Chair, presented a summary of the
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment's (MA) synthesis report on "Ecosystems
and Human Well-Being: Wetlands and Water."
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ATEN-France presented a side event for managers of wetlands in francophone
countries in Africa.
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WWF presented a side event on challenges and opportunities in
Ramsar site management.
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Wetlands International and CC-GGAP presented a side event on the Global
Action on Peatlands.
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A traditional elder from the Paroo River area in Australia made a
presentation during the technical session on culture and knowledge
in wetland management.
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Gunn Mari Paulsen, Norway, and Nadra Nathai-Gyan, Trinidad and
Tobago, led the contact group on the wise use concept and
cultural values.
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The dancers from Kabira drew a crowd of delegates eager to take
snapshots of their performances.
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