Kathmandu, September 15:

The five-day Fourth Asia Regional Conservation Forum concluded with commitment to integrate conservation imperatives to the heart of decision-making.

Delivering his concluding remarks, Tirtha Raj Sharma, Secretary at the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation promised to put biodiversity conservation on development agenda. Sharma added that he looked forward to the RCF results being integrated into mainstream conservation programmes.

Julia Marton-Lèfevre, Director General of the World Conservation Union said the forum had demonstrated an unprecedented level of private sector participation. “We should now move towards collaboration with entrepreneurs and business; this shows that biodiversity and sustainability are important to business as it is to us.” Lèfevre expressed the hope that the RCF meet will contribute to addressing issues of conservation in peace building, poverty eradication, food and water security, tourism and economic development.

Over 400 IUCN members, experts, and representatives from IUCN’s members, commissions, secretariat and council in Asia took part in the RCF that was jointly hosted by the Nepal Government and the IUCN.