Lao PDR steps up wetlands protection LAO PDR has stepped up the
protection of its wetlands by joining the Ramsar Convention.
IUCN played a crucial role in the recent accession of Lao PDR to
the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for the
conservation and sustainable utilisation of wetlands. IUCN has
worked with the Government of Lao PDR on the process of
accession to Ramsar since 2003, with support from Sida, the IUCN
Asia Regional Office and the Mekong Water Dialogues Initiative.
Upon joining the Ramsar Convention on 28 September 2010, the
Government of Lao PDR will designate the country’s first two
wetlands of national significance, the Xe Champhone Wetlands and
the Beung Kiat Ngong Wetlands. The commitment from the
Government of Lao PDR to protect its vital natural wetland
resources comes at a crucial point in the nation’s rapid and
transformative economic development. “Joining the Ramsar
Convention signals a strong commitment on the part of the
Government of Lao PDR to actively conserve and sustain