Bonn, 11 February 2015 - Joëlle Zouzou is the National Focal Point for Côte d’Ivoire, which is one of the newest countries to have joined AEWA having acceded in June 2013 thus becoming the 70^th Party to the Agreement. Joëlle attended the École Nationale Supérieure d’Agronomie between 1991 and 1997 where she studied for her diploma as an agronomist specializing in water and forestry. Since 2012 she has been Director of Wildlife and Game in the Ministry of Water and Forests responsible for the conservation of species of fauna, developing legislation to regulate hunting and dealing with international conventions such as CMS that deal with wildlife conservation.

"Getting to grips with managing its fauna is a major challenge for Côte d’Ivoire which is seeking to restore to the country’s fauna its rightful place in the country’s development.  Côte d’Ivoire’s birds – both resident and migratory – are an integral part of that fauna."

Joëlle does not have one particular favourite AEWA species – she is fond of all of them.  And as far as AEWA and Côte d’Ivoire are concerned, Joëlle says:  “Getting to grips with managing its fauna is a major challenge for Côte d’Ivoire which is seeking to restore to the country’s fauna its rightful place in the country’s development. Côte d’Ivoire’s birds – both resident and migratory – are an integral part of that fauna.”