Story by Tichaona Kurewa
VICTORIA FALLS – PREPARATIONS for the 15th meeting of the Conference of Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (COP15) are on course with government expressing appreciation for the level of preparedness.
The global event, scheduled to take place in Victoria Falls from July 23 to July 31, will mark the first time Zimbabwe hosts the prestigious summit, and, only the second time it will be held in Africa, following Uganda’s hosting of COP9 in 2005.
Key stakeholders convened in Victoria Falls this Thursday to assess progress ahead of the event.
The government, through the Ministry of Finance and Investment Promotion, has already disbursed over US$400 000 towards preparations, underlining its commitment to ensuring the success of the global environmental gathering.
Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Honourable Evelyn Ndlovu, expressed satisfaction with the level of preparation and applauded Treasury’s swift support.
“We are happy with the progress that has been made, including the release of funding. The Ministry of Finance has done extremely well in disbursing funds for hosting this important conference. We are expecting over 1 000 international delegates, and we also aim to boost domestic participation to promote local tourism,” she said.
Parliamentarians have urged organisers to take advantage of the global platform to showcase Zimbabwe’s innovations, traditional cuisines, and natural remedies.
“We have various traditional foods and products developed by our tertiary institutions, such as masawu wine, baobab mahewu, and marula wine. These must be exhibited and marketed to the world. We also have indigenous herbs that deserve global recognition,” Honourable Joseph Mapiki of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Tourism said.
Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Barbra Rwodzi, noted that the issue of pricing of tourism products, particularly accommodation, remains a priority, and revealed that legislative reforms are underway to address the issue.
“We are pleased that Cabinet has approved our Tourism Pricing Bill, which is now before Parliament. Once passed, it will empower the Ministry to regulate the pricing model of accommodation not just in Victoria Falls, but across the country,” she said.
Victoria Falls is now recognised as a Ramsar Site, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland Accredited City, something made possible through collaborative and coordinated efforts by the government and other stakeholders in managing the country’s extensive natural resources.
