BACF officially launched
The President of Maldives Dr. Mohamed Waheed has officially launched the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Baa Atoll Conservation Fund. The function was held at Baa atoll Eydhafushi Bahiyya Pre-School ON 13 June 2012. At this function Global Environment Facility (GEF) through UNDP handed over a cheque of US$ 250,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) to the BACF while the Government of Maldives handed over a cheque of US$ 50,000 (Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) as its first installment out of the agreed Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars.
Fisrt meeting of BACF undertaken
The first meeting of the Baa Atoll Conservation Fund Board was held on 7 November 2012. The main purpose of this Board meeting was to update members about the current status of Baa Atoll Conservation Fund (BACF) and of the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Partnership Agreements signed
Partnership agreements have been signed today between Baa Atoll Conservation Fund and 3 resorts, 1 liveaboard, 2 Dive Schools and the Liveaboard Association of Maldives. On behalf of the Baa Atoll Conservation Fund, Mrs. Mariyam Shakeela, Minister for Environment and Energy signed all the agreements while the representatives of the resorts, Liveaboards and the Dive Schools signed on their behalf.
Cabinet approves the Implementation Plan to declare Maldives as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
The implementation Plan to declare Maldives as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve has been approved by the Cabinet today. This implementation plan was compiled in response to President of Maldives Dr. Mohamed Waheed’s announcement to declare the whole of the Republic as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve by the end of 2017, at the 1st Plenary meeting of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, RIO+20 meeting held in Rio De Jenairo, Brazil on 20th June 2012.
The Cabinet made this decision today after discussing a paper submitted by the Ministry of Environment and Energy. The plan focuses on a Zonation Plan, Governance, Sustainable financing, Capacity building, Public Awareness and Outreach with advantages and disadvantages of becoming a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The implementation plan was compiled mainly based on the nationwide discussions during First National Stakeholder Conference on Declaring Maldives a Biosphere Reserve held at Bandos Island Resort on 8th November 2012.
