Regional forum on nature conservation

TDT | Manama

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The Supreme Council for the Environment represented the Kingdom of Bahrain at the 10th Regional Forum of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for West Asia, held from September 9 to 11, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This significant event gathered specialists and experts from IUCN member states in the West Asia region, along with representatives from the Regional Office for West Asia.

The forum aimed to address nature conservation challenges in the West Asia region, provide a platform for strategic planning of the Union’s programmes, and discuss regional participation in the upcoming World Conservation Congress, scheduled for 2025 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The forum sought to enhance communication and knowledge exchange among members to bolster efforts in protecting nature and conservation areas within the region. Nouf Al Wasmi, Director of the Reserves Department, contributed to the dialogue session titled “IUCN Achievements for West Asian Countries in Achieving the IUCN Unified Program.” 

Advancements

During her presentation, Al Wasmi highlighted Bahrain’s advancements in the 2030 Nature Program, emphasizing the country’s notable progress in biodiversity and ecosystem protection.

She reported that Bahrain has successfully designated 7.75% of its land area and 22.37% of its marine area as protected zones. Al Wasmi also underscored the importance of unified efforts to meet global conservation goals. In conjunction with the forum, the Supreme Council for the Environment showcased Bahrain’s conservation initiatives at an accompanying exhibition.

The pavilion highlighted Bahrain’s management of protected areas and species conservation efforts, including key projects such as the National Afforestation Plan and the Mangrove Tree Planting Project.