Bonn, 10 December 2019 - The last 12 months have seen the successful completion of five AEWA-related capacity-building conservation projects in African countries, among them Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mauritania, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Project activities ranged from conducting waterbird counts to training on waterbird monitoring and identification, the establishment of Site Support Groups which guide and promote nature conservation at site level and delivery of awareness-raising events among others. The five projects were the last to be supported in the framework of the AEWA Small Grants Fund (SGF).

The AEWA SGF is currently no longer active as no funding has been allocated for its operation since 2016. AEWA Executive Secretary Jacques Trouvilliez states:

Mr Trouvilliez expressed his hope that the fund, while currently dormant, could be reactivated to continue to support small-scale conservation activities in Africa, should funding from committed donors become available. 

Please follow the links below to find out more about the following SGF project activities:

• Enhancing capacity for monitoring and the sustainable management of waterbirds and their key sites in Côte d’Ivoire

• Waterbird conservation in Great Rift Valley lakes in Kenya

• Strengthening waterbird monitoring at the Aftout Essahli Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) in Mauritania

• Increasing local stakeholders’ capacity for waterbird monitoring at several coastal and inland sites across Nigeria  

• Conservation planning to secure the future of the Grey Crowned-crane and Wattled Crane in Zimbabwe