May 2010: The 41st meeting of the Ramsar Standing Committee took place from 26 April-1 May 2010, in Kobuleti, Georgia. The Standing Committee considered the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Administrative Reform regarding the proposal to move the Ramsar Secretariat to UNEP, and decided to mandate the Working Group to continue its work, to determine the modalities for implementing a transfer of the Ramsar Secretariat to UNEP, including: options for reducing the costs of a UNEP-administered Ramsar Secretariat; transition arrangements; timing and a timeline for implementation; and the added benefits to the Convention.
The Standing Committee also: renewed Secretary General Anada Tiéga’s tenure for another term; reviewed plans for Ramsar 40th anniversary celebrations next year and the preparations for the 11th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) in 2012; approved the National Reports format for COP 11; and approved three new Regional Initiatives (for the Black Sea, Caribbean, and American mangroves) as operating in the framework of the Convention. [Report of the meeting] [Standing Committee decisions]