Vanuatu is the latest Melanesian country to join IUCN as a state member.
The country already works with IUCN Oceania under the Union's Energy and Water and Wetlands programmes.
Vanuatu is part of the biodiversity hotspot of east Melanesia, with notable endemic species and diverse marine and coastal life, and many communities rely heavily on native species for their livelihoods.
22 August 2012: The Government of Vanuatu has officially announced its decision to join the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), by endorsing the IUCN Statutes, with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources designated as its liaison with the IUCN Secretariat.
In a press release, IUCN welcomed Vanuatu to state membership status. IUCN Oceania has already been working with the Vanuatu government under its Energy programme, looking at alternative renewable energy resources, and its Water and Wetlands programme, on safeguarding and managing mangrove ecosystems in Vanuatu and four other Pacific countries: Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga. The release states that IUCN Oceania anticipates continued collaboration in these and other programme areas.
“Vanuatu is a critical link in ensuring the Melanesian countries are on board,” says Taholo Kami, Regional Director, IUCN Oceania. Vanuatu is part of the biodiversity hotspot of east Melanesia, with notable endemic species and diverse marine and coastal life, and many communities rely heavily on native species for their livelihoods. [IUCN Press Release]