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Cameroon Commemorates Wetlands Day
Yaoundé - Two new Cameroonian sites have been included in the Ramsar list of Wetlands of International Importance.

The world wetlands day was celebrated last Monday February 4, in Cameroon. The event took place at the Mvog-Betsi Zoological garden in Yaounde,. Organised by the Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (W.W.F.), the event brought together partners of the environment sector as well as school children from different schools in Yaounde. The theme for this year's celebration was "Healthy Wetlands, healthy people". The event was presided over by the Minister of the Environment and Nature Protection, Pierre Hele. The day gives an opportunity for environmental scientists and policy makers to sensitise people in the importance of preserving wetlands in the environment such as mangroves and creeks as a way of protecting the ecosystem and arresting the adverse effects of climate change.

Speaking during the occasion, the Minister of the Environment and Nature Protection announced the classification of two sites in Cameroon: the Waza-Logone dam and the Lake Barombi-Mbo in the South West Province as deemed of international importance by Ramsar. This follows the adhesion of Cameroon to the Ramsar convention on January 13, 2006 on the preservation and conservation of wetlands. The Minister said efforts are underway for Cameroon to register more wetland sites in the Ramsar sites. Also this year the Cameroon section of the river Sanaga has also been classified in the Ramsar site. Wetlands play an important role in human life because of their diverse values.

According to the minister, Cameroon has made great strides in the preservation and conservation of wetlands but much still needs to be done. The key message therefore is to protect wetlands because they are a source life. Students were awarded prizes of a competitive test organised by W.W.F. Ramsar is the Iranian city where the International Convention was signed in 1971.

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