Uruguay, home of Ramsar COP12

13 July 2012, Bucharest, Romania - Uruguay will be hosting the next Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention on wetlands in 2015.  Announced at the closing ceremony of Ramsar COP11 in Romania, the event will be held at the Conrad Resort and Casino in Punta del Este.

“It will be a major challenge for Uruguay and thus we call upon the parties to work with us during the organization and actual holding of the COP to ensure success,” presented the delegate from Uruguay at the Closing.

“I would like to join with those who have expressed their congratulations to Romania, out host country and thank them for the excellent organization and efforts taken during COP 11.  We express gratitude to the people and government of Romania.”

“See you in Uruguay in 2015.”

Uruguay is located between Brazil and Argentina, and became the thirty-fifth Ramsar Contracting Party in 1984.  

There are three proposed Wetlands of International Importance for Uruguay – Humedales de Stana Lucia, Laguna de Rocha and Islas del Rio Negro y Humedales de Villa Soriano.  


Uruguay has two and their Wetlands of International Importance Banados del Este y Franja Costera and Eseros de Farrapos e islas del Rio Uruguay.  Both sites have a combined total surface area of  424,904 hectares.

The date for the 12^th Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention is yet to be confirmed.