Paris, 12 November 2007 – A Memorandum of Cooperation has been concluded between the AEWA Secretariat and „Oiseaux migrateurs du paléarctique” (OMPO). The Memorandum formalises a strong cooperation between AEWA and OMPO, which already has a long-standing tradition. In addition to the active role OMPO has been playing as an observer in the AEWA Technical Committee for the last 6 years, it has also continuously provided valuable support in the recruitment of Parties to AEWA and enhanced the implementation of AEWA through its scientific and monitoring programmes on migratory birds in the Baltic states, Ukraine, Belarus, the Russian Federation as well as Western Africa.

At the official signing ceremony that took place in Paris at the offices of OMPO, Mr. Bert Lenten, Executive Secretary of the AEWA Secretariat, thanked OMPO for the excellent working relationship between the two organizations and for the support provided to AEWA through its work as AEWA ambassador. Moreover, Mr. Lenten emphasized the importance of this partnership, especially with regard to the close links between waterbird conservation and the hunters’ community created by OMPO through the (net-) work of its organization. Mr. Raymond Pouget, President of OMPO, and Mr. Guy-Noel Olivier, Secretary General of OMPO, expressed their appreciation for the cooperation with AEWA and thanked the Secretariat for the benefits this partnership has for OMPO.

By the regular support OMPO provides to AEWA it has established a positive example for an ambassadorship to AEWA, and therewith also directly contributed to the implementation of the AEWA Communication Strategy, which emphasizes the value of ambassadors to AEWA for the membership development. It is hoped that the work of OMPO will stimulate other NGOs to also function as AEWA ambassadors.

This Memorandum of Cooperation moreover is the first formal bilateral agreement that has been concluded by the AEWA Secretariat and it is hoped that more of this kind will follow in the near future.

Please click here to read the full text of the Memorandum of Cooperation between OMPO and the AEWA Secretariat.