DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania has called for concrete action, sustainable financing and community participation to strengthen biodiversity conservation and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources, Tanzania's Zanzibar Directorate of Presidential Communications said in a statement issued on Friday.
Tanzania's Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi made the remarks while addressing the Leaders' Summit on Biodiversity at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia, where he represented Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Mwinyi said Tanzania had developed its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for 2025-2030 to strengthen conservation, restore ecosystems and promote the sustainable use of biological resources, according to the statement.
Highlighting progress in Zanzibar, Mwinyi noted the number of marine protected areas had increased from five to seven, while the area under conservation management had expanded from approximately 2,400 square km to more than 3,600 square km.
These achievements contributed to marine resource protection and sustainable development, he added.
At the summit, Tanzania reaffirmed its commitment to strong political leadership and the implementation of global biodiversity targets by 2030, including the goal of conserving 30 percent of the world's land and marine areas.
