The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Ramsar contacts and national focal points

Administrative Authorities in the Contracting Parties

The Administrative Authorities for the Ramsar Convention are the implementing government agencies that have been officially designated by the head of state or government or the Foreign Office of each of the Contracting Parties to take charge of Ramsar issues within the countries. Within those agencies, in many cases, an unofficial "Daily Contact" has been identified for day-to-day communications with the Ramsar Secretariat. These are found at the link above.

The Ramsar Standing Committee

The Standing Committee consists of 18 Contracting Parties as members, with two Parties and the five International Organization Partners as permanent observers. The Parties that are SC members and observers for the 2006-2008 triennium are listed at the link above. To find the individual people who have represented those SC members at recent meetings, view the Participants' Lists of those meetings.

The Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP)

The STRP consists of six "Thematic Experts" and six "Regional Experts", all elected by the Conference of the Parties as individual experts in their own persons rather than as national delegates, and representatives of the five International Organization Partners. The members are named at the link above; to find their contact details, view the Participants' Lists of recent STRP meetings.

National Focal Points for the STRP

The Conference of the Parties has requested the Administrative Authorities in each of the member countries to name one wetland expert, who may or may not be part of the government, who can inform the network of wetland scientists in each country of the work of the STRP and solicit their advice on the issues that the STRP is working on, and who can advise the STRP directly on the progress of the Panel's draft guidance documents.

National Focal Points for Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA)

Contracting Parties have been asked by the Conference of the Parties to nominate a Government focal point and a Non-government focal point for wetland CEPA activities.This nomination is regarded as the starting point for an effective review of wetland CEPA needs within each country, leading ultimately to a national CEPA Action Plan. The Focal Points are also the main points of contact within and between countries for wetland CEPA.

Ramsar Secretariat staff

For further information about the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, please contact the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ). Most recently updated 14 November 2007, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.