Bonn, 7 December 2015 - Abdoulaye Ndiaye is the Africa-based coordinator of the Technical Support Unit for the AEWA African Initiative and has an impressive résumé of achievements in the field of wetland and waterbird conservation especially in West, Central and East Africa. At the recent MOP, Adboulaye received the AEWA Conservation Award for his contribution to implementing the Agreement.

Looking back over the past 25 years, Abdoulaye says: “Who would have believed how far we have got today? The beginnings were not easy, the horizon became progressively clearer as we moved ahead. With the rigor, supervision and leadership of Bert Lenten, Africa has been able to follow AEWA’s development seeing implementation of strategic discussions through practical application on the ground. For my part, I have just received an award that honors my humble person, and through me the whole of Africa for the role it has to play, over the long life of the Agreement. We are not yet at the end of the road. Let us pool our efforts and hold our heads high.”

Abdoulaye’s favourite AEWA species is the Lesser Flamingo, because it is very rare, and it takes a great deal of effort to locate and to protect it. But also because he won the trust of his African peers to lead this group of specialists.