GTZ supports conference on biodiversity in Mali

Expert round table and panel discussion in the Centre Culturel Français in Bamako shows status quo and perspectives for the development of biodiversity

On 6th June 2005 an expert round table and a panel discussion on “Biodiversity in Mali” has been organized by the Centre Culturel Français in cooperation with the GTZ project Projet d’Appui à la Politique Environnementale (PAPE/GTZ). The event took place in the framework of the Malian Environment Weeks (Quinzaine de l’Environnement) from 04th to 18th June 2005.

Speeches and discussions were focused on the status quo of biodiversity in Mali and possible ways for its conservation and its sustainable use. On this occasion the results of the GEO Day of Biological Diversity in Mali on 04th June were presented. Moreover participants discussed the role of biodiversity as a development potential for the future development of Mali.

Nicole Seurat from Centre Culturel Francais in Bamako and Ute Böttcher from GTZ Project-PAPE welcomed some 150 guests. The German ambassador in Mali Ingmar Brentle read out the greetings of German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and patron of GEO Day of Biological Diversity in Mali. In his address his French counterpart Nicolas Normand highlighted the importance of natural resources for the development of Mali.

In his presentation Philippe Birnbaum from ‘Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement’ (CIRAD) outlined the evolution of Malian flora and explained natural and human factors influencing distribution and extinction of plants.

Bourama Niagaté from the Direction National pour la Conservation de la Nature (DNCN) talked about the recent development, status quo and perspectives of Malian fauna and possible ways to protect endangered species.

As a representative of GTZ BIODIV project Suhel al-Janabi informed the audience about the international Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and how GTZ supports developing countries in its implementation. He underlined the importance of environmental communication and awareness building measures and presented the example of the GEO Day of Biological Diversity in Mali on 04th June 2005.

Akouny Doungnon from the Centre Régional de Médecine Traditionnelle (CRMT) in Bandiagara explained the importance of biodiversity for the production of medicinal plants in the Land of the Dogons where most people rely on traditional medicine. According to his experience awareness raising and environmental communication measures are of utmost importance for the conservation and the sustainable use of endangered species.

During the panel discussion presided by Nampaa Sanogho the audience shared different experiences on the issue of biodiversity in Mali and raised questions on the status quo and future development of natural resource and biological diversity in Mali.