Interview: China's wetland conservation efforts offer valuable reference to Africa, says Wetlands International official

African countries can benefit from China's experience in wetland conservation and restoration, an official from Wetlands International has said.

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe, July 27 (Xinhua) -- African countries can benefit from China's experience in wetland conservation and restoration, an official from Wetlands International has said.

In an interview with Xinhua on Friday on the sidelines of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) underway in Zimbabwe's resort city of Victoria Falls, Wetlands International Director for East Africa Julie Mulonga spoke highly of China's achievement in preserving wetlands.

Nine Chinese cities were accredited as international wetland cities on Thursday during the COP15, bringing the total number of such cities in China to 22, the highest in the world.

"Having nine cities accredited is a positive thing. It shows that they are determined to lead the way in wetland conservation and restoration," said Mulonga. "Maybe we can learn from how they managed to get their cities accredited -- the process they followed and the challenges they faced. That information could also be useful to other countries working toward the same goal."

Hailing the accreditation as a milestone, Mulonga said China and Africa could reach more cooperation in wetland preservation, adding that while many African countries have policies in place to protect wetlands, there is a lack of investment in implementation.

"We have some of the policies in place in certain countries, but the problem is implementation. So perhaps we need to invest more in making sure those strategies and policies are carried out," added Mulonga.

The official also commended China for enacting laws that protect and manage wetlands. "I think it's an example that we can all learn from," she said.

In addition, China can share technology with Africa on wetland conservation and restoration measures, she said. "And in terms of information sharing, the lessons they have learned along the way could be something we can benefit from."

While local communities play a crucial role in driving wetland conservation efforts, Mulonga said China's wetland management experience provides a valuable reference. She emphasized the importance of joint global efforts in protecting wetlands.

"It is key for us to look at wetlands from a global perspective, because as shown in the Global Wetland Outlook, the scale of the problem is big. It is therefore important to bring different organizations together to collectively examine the issue and reach global-level agreements to address the situation," she added.

The COP15, which officially opened on Thursday, brought together representatives of governments to strengthen international commitments for wetland conservation and to highlight the vital role of wetlands in sustaining ecological health, biodiversity, and climate resilience. ■