“She has come a long way. From the wetlands of Luapula, to building a career in Nairobi Kenya. She now sits at the helm of one of the most important global organizations whose mission is the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.
According to the Ramsar Convention website, on 8th August 2022, “the Standing Committee of the Convention on Wetlands appointed Dr Musonda Mumba as the new Secretary General of the Convention. Dr Mumba succeeded Ms Martha Rojas Urrego who had served the Convention for the past six years”.
Dr Mumba is a Zambian born sustainable development, nature based solutions to climate change specialist who until recently was based in Nairobi Kenya working for the United Nations Development Program as Senior Advisor on Ecosystem Restoration.
During a sit-down discussion with the founder of this website, Dr. Mumba disclosed how her background, upbringing, life experiences and professional progression had led her to this moment in her career where she will be taking up a position whose demands will impact the global discourse on climate change.
As a young girl growing up in Luapula, wetlands were something that fascinated her. Her father’s influence was coincidental albeit instrumental in nurturing her love for nature which has seen her also make personal investments of her own in developing a private wetland in Zambia.
Her research as a PHD student found her doing research and having conversations with corporates who in later years would remember her stark warning on the depletion of natural resources that would impact their own service delivery.
A consummate believer in mentorship, something that resonates with Founder of Financial Insight who has been running the FIZ Internship Program, she has handheld many professionals and academic researchers in a field that has now become a topical discussion for world leaders.
This November 2022, at COP, she will make her maidan appearance as Secretary General of Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. According to the Ramsar website, “the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP14) will take place from 5 to 13 November 2022 in Wuhan (China) at the East Lake International Conference Center (ELICC) and Geneva (Switzerland) at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG)”.
The Ramsar Convention is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
Dr. Mumba brings her over 20 years’ experience that includes a PHD from University College of London (UCL), work and project experience with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF – Nairobi, Kenya), United Nations Environment (Nairobi, Kenya), and the United Nations Development programme.
