By Mariam Sankanu
A two-day workshop for the preparation of the 6th national report to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity was concluded recently at Baobab Holiday Resort.
The Department of Parks and Wildlife, being the main technical focal point for the convention of biological diversity is mandated to provide a national report every three years. Participants were recruited from different institutions, both government and private sectors.
Ousainou Touray, the Deputy Permanent Secretary, in delivering a speech on behalf of the permanent secretary said that they have involved different institutions to help in the preparation of the report because they cannot do it alone.
The Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Lamin B Dibba, attended the opening ceremony and highlighted the importance of the workshop. He called on all the participants to help in the compilation of the data needed for the report.
“You will agree with me that the conservation and management of biological diversity is a cross-cutting issue and therefore each stakeholder has an important role and therefore the report we are preparing as a country needs to contain the contribution of all stakeholders in government, private sector, civil society and NGOs,” he said.
Twenty strategic targets were highlighted and each participant is expected to provide a report on how the institution they work for can help in achieving those targets. The reports obtained will then be compiled and validated by all the participants.
The Department of Parks and Wildlife secured funds from Global Environment Facility through United Nation Environment Program to prepare the report and is expected to submit it before December 31st.
