Addu City Council has decided today to submit to the Ministry of Environment of Maldives to try to get Addu City accredited as a “Ramsar World Wetland City”.
The Council passed this decision during the Council’s 04th sitting for the year 2021, held today afternoon. During this meeting, all members in attendance voted in favour of the notion.
Speaking at today’s sitting, Mayor of Addu City, Mr. Abdulla Sodiq said that Addu City is a smaller atoll with a delicate environment in comparison with other areas of Maldives. Mayor also stated that the citizens of Addu City consistently try to protect and preserve the natural heritage of the city.
In addition to this, Mayor also noted that several wetlands all across Maldives have been reclaimed for various purposes, whereas in Addu City, approximately 90% of the wetlands are being sustainably maintained by the citizens of the city.
Speaking at the meeting further, Mayor also said that it is a matter of deep regret that Maldives has not signed the Ramsar Convention so far, and emphasized on the importance of Maldives signing the convention in order to conserve and protect the wetlands all across the country.
The Ramsar Convention was signed on 2nd February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran and is the only treaty in the world specialised for the protection of wetlands. Sri Lanka, a neighbouring country of Maldives was accredited as a “Ramsar World Wetland City” in the year 2018.
