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Paragraph 24.
Annex I. Core Budget 2009-2012, as approved by COP10
Annex II. Ramsar Contracting Party Annual Contributions 2009
Annex III
Annex III

Financial and budgetary matters

1.RECALLING the budgetary provisions established by Article 6, paragraphs 5 and 6, of the Convention;

2.ACKNOWLEDGING WITH APPRECIATION the prompt payment by the majority of Contracting Parties of their contributions to the core budget of the Convention, but NOTING WITH CONCERN that a number of Parties are still significantly in arrears (COP10 DOC. 17);

3.NOTING WITH GRATITUDE the additional financial contributions made by many Contracting Parties through their Ramsar Administrative Authorities and other agencies, including some development assistance agencies, and also the contributions made by non-governmental organizations and the private sector for activities undertaken by the Secretariat;

4.ACKNOWLEDGING ONCE MORE WITH APPRECIATION the financial and administrative services provided to the Secretariat by IUCN;

5.NOTING that Contracting Parties have been kept informed of the financial situation of the Secretariat through the financial audited reports for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 and the reports of the Standing Committee meetings in 2006, 2007, and 2008 that have been circulated to Contracting Parties; and

6.RECOGNIZING the need to facilitate partnership with relevant international organizations and other entities, to strengthen existing partnerships and to explore additional funding opportunities through their existing financial mechanisms (COP10 DOC.19);

The Conference of the Contracting Parties

7.NOTES WITH PLEASURE that since the 9^th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties in 2005 the Secretariat has managed the Convention’s funds prudently and efficiently, and APPRECIATES improved financial reporting arising from the new management arrangements with IUCN;

8.REQUESTS the Secretary General, in managing the budget, to attempt to maintain the Reserve Fund established by Resolution VI.17 (1996), which will also partly fulfil the need to have a prudent reserve in the unlikely event of the sudden dissolution of the Secretariat;

9.EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE to the Contracting Parties that have served in the Subgroup on Finance of the Standing Committee during the past cycle, and in particular to the United States of America, which acted as Chair of the Subgroup;

10.DECIDES that the Terms of Reference for the Financial Administration of the Convention contained in Annex 3 to Resolution 5.2 (1993) shall be applied in toto to the 2009-2012 cycle;

11.FURTHER DECIDES that the Subgroup on Finance, as established by Resolution VI.17, shall continue to operate under the aegis of the Standing Committee and with the roles and responsibilities specified in that Resolution;

12.APPROVES the budget for the 2009-2012 cycle as attached as Annex I to enable the implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Convention;

13.AUTHORIZES the Standing Committee, with the advice of its Subgroup on Finance, to change budgetary allocations between budget lines in the light of significant positive or negative changes during the cycle to the rates of inflation and interest income projected in the budget, with the reservation that in no case shall such reallocations affect line items pertaining to Regional Initiatives or be detrimental to the work of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP);

14.RECOGNIZES that the establishment of a Transition Committee of the Management Working Group (Resolution X.4), involving the Chair of the Subgroup on Finance, will strengthen the continuity of the Subgroup’s work in the future;

15.DECIDES that the contribution of each Contracting Party to this budget (other than those making only voluntary contributions) should be in accordance with the scale of assessments for the contribution of Member States to the United Nations budget as approved by the UN General Assembly, except in the case of Contracting Parties which, in applying the UN scale, would make annual contributions to the Ramsar Convention budget of less than CHF 1,000, in which case the annual contribution shall be that amount. The difference between the assessed contribution for these Contracting Parties according to the UN scale and the minimum threshold of CHF 1,000 shall be allocated, when actual payments have been effected, to another budget line or lines of the core budget, on the advice of the Standing Committee’s Subgroup on Finance. All other Contracting Parties will continue to be assessed in accordance with the UN scale of contributions except in the case of those Contracting Parties making only voluntary contributions (as indicated in Annex II);

16.URGES all Contracting Parties to pay their contributions promptly by 1 January of each year, or as soon thereafter as that country’s budget cycle will permit;

17.URGES Contracting Parties in arrears in their payments of assessed contributions to make a renewed effort to settle them as expeditiously as possible to enhance the financial sustainability of the Convention through contributions by all Contracting Parties, and AGREES that the Standing Committee at its 40^th meeting should further consider options for dealing with Parties that are consistently in arrears with payments to the Convention;

18.AFFIRMS that the rate of increase of the Ramsar Convention budget for the 2009-2012 cycle shall not be considered as setting a precedent for the budget of any other international convention and has been passed noting the official position of concerned Parties supporting zero nominal growth for all international conventions;

19.DECIDES to appoint a new Partnership Coordinator, in accordance with the job description attached in Annex III, to enhance the work on building partnerships with relevant international organizations and other entities, managing the Convention’s financial instruments (Small Grants Fund, etc.), and exploring additional financial resources to supplement the healthy and sustainable implementation of the Convention and the Secretariat;

20.REQUESTS the Secretary General to review and assess the performance of the new position and report to the Standing Committee regularly, and to report to the next meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties on the results of this new position, so that the Conference of the Contracting Parties can decide whether this position should be continued;

21.REQUESTS the Secretary General to report the status of the Reserve Fund to the Standing Committee and consult with the Standing Committee regarding the use of excess resources of the Fund;

22.REQUESTS the Contracting Parties to support, through voluntary contributions, the Ramsar Regional Centre for Central and West Asia celebrations of the 40^th Anniversary of the signing of the Convention, planned for 2011 in the town of Ramsar;

23.GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES that the countries of Africa assessed (in line with paragraph 15 above) at less than CHF 2000 have agreed to increase their payments to that level. The difference between CHF 2000 and their assessment will be in the form of a voluntary contribution specifically earmarked for African Regional Initiatives; and

24.NOTES that the Africa region further urges all other Parties outside of Africa that are individually contributing less than CHF 2000 to increase their contributions as appropriate.

Annex I. Core Budget 2009-2012, as approved by COP10

RAMSAR FOUR % GROWTH BUDGET 2009 to 2012
	COP9 approved										COMMENTS
EXPENDITURES	2008	2008	2009	2009	2010	2010	2011	2011	2012	2012
	CHF	CHF	CHF	CHF	CHF	CHF	CHF	CHF	CHF	CHF
A. SECRETARIAT SENIOR MANAGEMENT		476,466		494,365		512,979		532,338		552,472
i. Salary & social costs (SG)(Ass’t) (20%DSG)	447,466		465,365		483,979		503,338		523,472		Salaries increased 4% to cover inflation and step increments
ii. Travel on Official Business (International) (2K for NCD)	29,000		29,000		29,000		29,000		29,000		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
M. PARTNERSHIP Co-ordinator				87,278		141,696		198,290		257,149
i. Partnership Account			87,278		141,696		198,290		257,149		Balancing amount
B. REGIONAL ADVICE & SUPPORT		1,128,931		1,170,903		1,214,554		1,259,951		1,307,164
i. Salaries & social costs (SRAs, Assistants, officer)	1,049,304		1,091,276		1,134,927		1,180,324		1,227,537		Salaries increased 4% to cover inflation and step increments
ii. Travel on Official Business (International)	79,627		79,627		79,627		79,627		79,627		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
C. SUPPORT TO REGIONAL INITIATIVES		279,190		279,190		279,190		279,190		279,190
i. Regional networks (cooperation)	179,190		179,190		179,190		179,190		179,190		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
ii. Regional centers (training & capacity-building)	100,000		100,000		100,000		100,000		100,000		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
D. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL SERVICES		567,360		574,415		581,752		589,383		597,319
i. STRP (implementation/meeting & staff costs)	205,985		205,985		205,985		205,985		205,985		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
ii. Ramsar Sites Information Service	170,000		170,000		170,000		170,000		170,000		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
iii. DSG (60%)	176,375		183,430		190,767		198,398		206,334		Salaries increased 4% to cover inflation and step increments
iv. Travel on Official Business (International) (NCD)	15,000		15,000		15,000		15,000		15,000		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
E. CEPA - COMMUNICATION, EDUCATION & PUBLIC AWARENESS		590,738		607,131		624,181		641,912		660,352
i. Salaries & social costs (DSG 20%)(SrAdminAss’t - 34%)	409,835		426,228		443,278		461,009		479,449		Salaries increased 4% to cover inflation and step increments
ii. CEPA Programme	30,000		30,000		30,000		30,000		30,000		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
iii. Communications & Reporting implementation	150,903		150,903		150,903		150,903		150,903		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
F. ADMINISTRATION & PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT		360,244		371,224		382,642		394,518		406,868
i. Administration (salaries & social costs)	237,512		247,012		256,893		267,169		277,855		Salaries increased 4% to cover inflation and step increments
ii. Human Resources (salaries & social costs) (SrAdminAss’t - 33%)	36,976		38,455		39,993		41,593		43,257		Salaries increased 4% to cover inflation and step increments
iii. Other employment benefits	50,000		50,000		50,000		50,000		50,000		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
iv. Staff hiring and departure costs	35,756		35,756		35,756		35,756		35,756		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
G. FINANCE MANAGEMENT		197,321		205,214		213,422		221,959		230,838
i. Salaries & social costs (SrAdminAss’t-33%)	197,321		205,214		213,422		221,959		230,838		Salaries increased 4% to cover inflation and step increments
H. OPERATING COSTS		88,529		88,529		88,529		88,529		88,529
i. Operating Costs (photocopying, printing, courier)	76,529		76,529		76,529		76,529		76,529		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
ii. Purchase & Maintenance of Equipment/Office Supplies	12,000		12,000		12,000		12,000		12,000		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
(including depreciation)
I. STANDING COMMITTEE SERVICES		72,812		72,812		72,812		72,812		72,812
i. Standing Committee delegates’ support	47,056		47,056		47,056		47,056		47,056		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
ii. Simultaneous interpretation at SC meetings	25,756		25,756		25,756		25,756		25,756		ZERO increase - remains at 2008 level
L. COP related costs incurred by the Secretariat		34,952		0		0		0		-
SubTotal		3,796,543		3,951,061		4,111,758		4,278,882	4,452,693	4,452,693
K. IUCN SERVICE CHARGES (13% of expenditures)		493,551		513,638		534,529		556,255		578,850	13%
(Administration, Human Resources, Finance & IT services)
J. MISCELLANEOUS		75,000		75,000		75,000		75,000		75,000
i. Bad debt provision	15,000		15,000		15,000		15,000		15,000		Calculation for unpaid annual contributions.
ii. Exchange loss	35,000		35,000		35,000		35,000		35,000		Currency fluctuations.
iii. Staff termination & repatriation provisions*	25,000		25,000		25,000		25,000		25,000		Accounting requirement.
		4,365,094
TOTAL FORECAST EXPENDITURE				4,539,698		4,721,286		4,910,137		5,106,543	4% annual increase
				4,539,698		4,721,286		4,910,137		5,106,543
* Accounting requirement, can be treated as a reserve amount.				-		-		-		-

Annex II. Ramsar Contracting Party Annual Contributions 2009

2009: Based on 4% Growth			UN%	Ramsar%	2009 Contribution(CHF)
1310-00091		Albania	0.006	0.0061	1,000
1310-00001		Algeria	0.085	0.0867	3,635
1310-00145		Antigua & Barbuda	0.002	0.0020	1,000
1310-00003		Argentina	0.325	0.3315	13,898
1310-00002		Armenia	0.002	0.0020	1,000
1310-00004		Australia	1.787	1.8226	76,415
1310-00005		Austria	0.887	0.9047	37,930
1310-00124		Azerbaijan	0.005	0.0051	1,000
1310-00099		Bahamas	0.016	0.0163	1,000
1310-00102		Bahrain	0.033	0.0337	1,411
1310-00006		Bangladesh	0.010	0.0102	1,000
1310-00149		Barbados	0.009	0.0092	1,000
1310-00116		Belarus	0.020	0.0204	1,000
1310-00007		Belgium	1.102	1.1239	47,123
1310-00112		Belize	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00118		Benin	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00008		Bolivia	0.006	0.0061	1,000
1310-00128		Bosnia and Herzegovina	0.006	0.0061	1,000
1310-00096		Botswana	0.014	0.0143	1,000
1310-00009		Brazil	0.876	0.8934	37,459
1310-00010		Bulgaria	0.020	0.0204	1,000
1310-00011		Burkina Faso	0.002	0.0020	1,000
1310-00132		Burundi	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00115		Cambodia	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00150		Cameroon	0.009	0.0092	1,000
1310-00012		Canada	2.977	3.0362	127,301
1310-00146		Cape Verde	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00148		Central African Republic	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00072		Chad	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00013		Chile	0.161	0.1642	6,885
1310-00014		China	2.667	2.7201	114,045
1310-00110		Colombia	0.105	0.1071	4,490
1310-00084		Comoros	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00109		Congo	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00092		Congo, Democratic Republic of	0.003	0.0031	1,000
1310-00015		Costa Rica	0.032	0.0326	1,368
1310-00093		Côte d’Ivoire	0.009	0.0092	1,000
1310-00016		Croatia	0.050	0.0510	2,138
1310-00123		Cuba	0.054	0.0551	2,309
1310-00125		Cyprus	0.044	0.0449	1,882
1310-00017		Czech Republic	0.281	0.2866	12,016
1310-00018		Denmark	0.739	0.7537	31,601
1310-00135		Djibouti	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00131		Dominican Republic	0.024	0.0245	1,026
1310-00019		Ecuador	0.021	0.0214	1,000
1310-00020		Egypt	0.088	0.0898	3,763
1310-00113		El Salvador	0.020	0.0204	1,000
1310-00136		Equatorial Guinea	0.002	0.0020	1,000
1310-00022		Estonia	0.016	0.0163	1,000
1310-00151		Fiji	0.003	0.0031	1,000
1310-00023		Finland	0.564	0.5752	24,118
1310-00024		France	6.301	6.4264	269,441
1310-00025		Gabon	0.008	0.0082	1,000
1310-00094		Gambia	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00105		Georgia	0.003	0.0031	1,000
1310-00026		Germany	8.577	8.7477	366,767
1310-00027		Ghana	0.004	0.0041	1,000
1310-00028		Greece	0.596	0.6079	25,486
1310-00029		Guatemala	0.032	0.0326	1,368
1310-00030		Guinea	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00031		Guinea-Bissau	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00032		Honduras	0.005	0.0051	1,000
1310-00033		Hungary	0.244	0.2489	10,434
1310-00034		Iceland	0.037	0.0377	1,582
1310-00035		India	0.450	0.4590	19,243
1310-00036		Indonesia	0.161	0.1642	6,885
1310-00038		Iran, Islamic Republic of	0.180	0.1836	7,697
1310-00156		Iraq	0.015	0.0153	1,000
1310-00037		Ireland	0.445	0.4539	19,029
1310-00098		Israel	0.419	0.4273	17,917
1310-00039		Italy	5.079	5.1801	217,187
1310-00103		Jamaica	0.010	0.0102	1,000
1310-00040		Japan	16.624	16.9548	710,870
1310-00041		Jordan	0.012	0.0122	1,000
1310-00153		Kazakhstan	0.029	0.0296	1,240
1310-00042		Kenya	0.010	0.0102	1,000
1310-00100		Korea, Republic of	2.173	2.2162	92,921
1310-00133		Kyrgyz Republic	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00087		Latvia	0.018	0.0184	1,000
1310-00114		Lebanon	0.034	0.0347	1,454
1310-00139		Lesotho	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00137		Liberia	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00119		Libyan Arab Jamahiriya	0.062	0.0632	2,651
1310-00043		Liechtenstein	0.010	0.0102	1,000
1310-00044		Lithuania	0.031	0.0316	1,326
1310-00045		Luxembourg	0.085	0.0867	3,635
1310-00111		Madagascar	0.002	0.0020	1,000
1310-00097		Malawi	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00085		Malaysia	0.190	0.1938	8,125
1310-00046		Mali	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00047		Malta	0.017	0.0173	1,000
1310-00138		Marshall Islands	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00049		Mauritania	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00127		Mauritius	0.011	0.0112	1,000
1310-00050		Mexico	2.257	2.3019	96,513
1310-00121		Moldova	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00104		Monaco	0.003	0.0031	1,000
1310-00106		Mongolia	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00154		Montenegro	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00048		Morocco	0.042	0.0428	1,796
1310-00140		Mozambique	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00142		Myanmar	0.005	0.0051	1,000
1310-00090		Namibia	0.006	0.0061	1,000
1310-00051		Nepal	0.003	0.0031	1,000
1310-00052		Netherlands	1.873	1.9103	80,093
1310-00053		New Zealand	0.256	0.2611	10,947
1310-00101		Nicaragua	0.002	0.0020	1,000
1310-00054		Niger	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00122		Nigeria	0.048	0.0490	2,053
1310-00055		Norway	0.782	0.7976	33,440
1310-00057		Pakistan	0.059	0.0602	2,523
1310-00134		Palau	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00056		Panama	0.023	0.0235	1,000
1310-00058		Papua New Guinea	0.002	0.0020	1,000
1310-00089		Paraguay	0.005	0.0051	1,000
1310-00059		Peru	0.078	0.0796	3,335
1310-00060		Philippines	0.078	0.0796	3,335
1310-00061		Poland	0.501	0.5110	21,424
1310-00062		Portugal	0.527	0.5375	22,535
1310-00063		Romania	0.070	0.0714	2,993
1310-00064		Russian Federation	1.200	1.2239	51,314
1310-00147		Rwanda	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00130		Saint Lucia	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00141		Samoa	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00152		Sao Tome and Principe	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00065		Senegal	0.004	0.0041	1,000
1310-00081		Serbia	0.021	0.0214	1,000
1310-00143		Seychelles	0.002	0.0020	1,000
1310-00117		Sierra Leone	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00066		Slovak Republic	0.063	0.0643	2,694
1310-00067		Slovenia	0.096	0.0979	4,105
1310-00068		South Africa	0.290	0.2958	12,401
1310-00021		Spain	2.968	3.0271	126,917
1310-00069		Sri Lanka	0.016	0.0163	1,000
1310-00144		Sudan	0.010	0.0102	1,000
1310-00070		Suriname	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00071		Sweden	1.071	1.0923	45,798
1310-00083		Switzerland	1.216	1.2402	51,998
1310-00107		Syrian Arab Republic	0.016	0.0163	1,000
1310-00126		Tajikistan	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00120		Tanzania, United Republic of	0.006	0.0061	1,000
1310-00108		Thailand	0.186	0.1897	7,954
1310-00086		The FYR of Macedonia	0.005	0.0051	1,000
1310-00088		Togo	0.001	0.0010	1,000
1310-00073		Trinidad and Tobago	0.027	0.0275	1,155
1310-00074		Tunisia	0.031	0.0316	1,326
1310-00075		Turkey	0.381	0.3886	16,292
1310-00076		Uganda	0.003	0.0031	1,000
1310-00095		Ukraine	0.045	0.0459	1,924
1310-00155		United Arab Emirates	0.302	0.3080	12,914
1310-00077		United Kingdom	6.642	6.7742	284,023
1310-00078		Uruguay	0.027	0.0275	1,155
1310-00129		Uzbekistan	0.008	0.0082	1,000
1310-00079		Venezuela	0.200	0.2040	8,552
1310-00080		Viet Nam	0.024	0.0245	1,026
1310-00157		Yemen	0.007	0.0071	1,000
1310-00082		Zambia	0.001	0.0010	1,000
			76.478	78.000	3,336,604
Other contributions
1310-21371-0001	United States of America		22.000	22.0000	941,094

TOTALS			76.478	78.000	4,277,698

N.B. Other income (interest, Tax rebate) to be estimated

Annex III

Job Description – Partnership Coordinator

Rationale

1.The establishment of a senior post of "Partnership Coordinator" is intended to further develop and maintain the increasingly necessary work on partnerships and synergy with other relevant processes and organizations including, inter alia, other multilateral environmental agreements and United Nations agencies and organizations. It also coordinates the involvement of the non-governmental sector, especially the Convention’s International Organization Partners (IOPs), and the private sector and governmental donor community.

Role and responsibilities of the Partnership Coordinator

2.Under the supervision of the Secretary General, and in consultation with the Deputy Secretary General and the other Ramsar senior staff members, the Partnership Coordinator will:

Tier one priorities

1)Seek to expand the funding base for priority Ramsar initiatives:

a)Regional Initiatives;

b)Small Grants Fund;

c)Small Grants Portfolio;

Tier 2 priorities

2)Engage potential partner organizations working on wetland and water issues and involve them in the work of the Convention;

3)Provide strategic/operational advice to Parties regarding funding and support Ramsar Administrative Authorities in project proposal drafting;

4)Secure new funding to reach agreed targets;

Tier 3 priorities

5)Develop a strategy on partnerships and a process to continuously evaluate and improve their performance;

6)Act as UN focal point.

Implementation strategy

3.This position will initially be filled via a contract for part-time services/full-time contract for a number of months. As greater funds become available this contract can be expanded to be full time. Depending on outcomes of other Resolutions and the contracting process, consideration will be given to making this a permanent position.

4.The initial focus of this position will be on Tier one priorities. As additional time becomes available the priorities of Tier 2 and 3 will be added in that order.

Requirements

5.This is a senior post requiring significant experience (approximately 10 years) and demonstrable success at raising funds and developing successful relationships with various organizations, including donors, the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), governments, and the United Nations system.

6.The officer should have substantial experience (approximately five years) in preparation of proposals. He/she should have excellent communication skills and experience, with a wide range of stakeholders. Full fluency in English, with high-quality writing and reporting skills, is required. A working knowledge of French and/or Spanish would be advantageous.

The United Nations Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements

Financial and budgetary matters

Table of Contents

Financial and budgetary matters

Annex I. Core Budget 2009-2012, as approved by COP10

Annex II. Ramsar Contracting Party Annual Contributions 2009

Annex III

Job Description – Partnership Coordinator

Rationale

Role and responsibilities of the Partnership Coordinator

Tier one priorities

Tier 2 priorities

Tier 3 priorities

Implementation strategy

Requirements

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