In adequation with its vocation to work for the conservation and wise use of wetlands for the benefit of biodiversity and human well-being, the Dakar based Africa regional office of Wetlands International, recently made a donation of equipments to the office of National Parks (DPN) of Senegal. By this gesture, the organization supports the parks agents in their ecological and ornithological monitoring missions, and in the surveillance of wetlands of strategic importance.
The material offered to Senegal’s office of National Parks is essentially composed of sets of binoculars and high-precision telescopes, of Opticron brand with all their accessories. In addition, there is also sets of life jackets that will be useful to field workers during their movements on waterways.
Presenting the sets of equipment to the Director of the Office of National Parks, Colonel Siléye Ndiaye who was accompanied with colonel Babacar Salif Guéye, technical adviser at the Ministry of Environment and Mamadou Sagna, head of the Office of General Administration and Equipment (BAGE) at the DPN, the regional director of Wetlands International Africa who was flanked by Mr. Papa Mawade Wade, program coordinator Wetlands International Africa, recalled the importance of the partnership linking his organization and DPN. “We will always do so to support you wherever possible, whether in the framework of projects or in ad hoc support as it is the case today,” said Ibrahima Thiam.
Mr Thiam also took the opportunity to stress the need to reflect on the mechanisms of practical implementation of pilot projects as part of the National Wetlands Policy Management (PNZH) developed by Wetlands International Africa and validated on July 24th, 2015 by the Head of State of Senegal as part of the first edition of the National Conference on sustainable Development (CNDD).
For his part, Colonel Silèye Ndiaye, the Director of National Parks of Senegal thanked Wetlands International for the donation of equipment provided to his office and assured that his men will make good use of it.
Mr. Ndiaye recalled that the DPN continues to position wetlands as a priority in its conservation program. He revealed that discussions are about to be initiated with potential donors to facilitate the implementation of the pilot projects of the National Wetlands Policy Management. He invited therefore Wetlands International Africa to continue the good work for the conservation and wise use of wetlands which has always laid the ground for its privileged partnership with DPN.
Mr. Babacar Salif Gueye, a technical advisor at the Senegalese Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, congratulated Wetlands International for its gesture to DPN. He also stressed the availability of government to support the NGO headed by Mr. Ibrahima Thiam in partnership with the National Parks for the conservation of wetlands.
Wetlands International is the technical arm of the Ramsar Convention on the conservation and sustainable management of wetlands of international importance.