The effective conservation of migratory waterbird populations is only possible through international cooperation along their entire flyways. Therefore, expanding membership of AEWA is vital. Since the launch of the African Initiative, AEWA has welcomed 14 new Parties from Africa (Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Malawi, Mauritania, Morocco, Rwanda and Zimbabwe). However, gaps in membership still exist, particularly in Central and Southern Africa.

The AEWA Plan of Action for Africa 2019-2027 seeks to promote the accession of new parties from Africa, with emphasis on the Southern and Central African regions. The UNEP/AEWA Secretariat is working actively with range states to increase membership of the agreement and provides advice, when needed, on various aspects of the accession process. We are also working in collaboration with the UNEP/CMS and Ramsar Secretariats, whenever possible, for example to organize joint information workshops on accession for relevant stakeholders in non-party range states.