30 Years of AEWA – Statement by Mr. Filipe Moniz, AEWA National Focal Point, Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, Portugal

As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), Portugal proudly reaffirms its commitment to this vital international instrument, which plays a central role in the conservation of migratory waterbirds across our flyways.

AEWA has been instrumental not only in fostering international cooperation but also in promoting the protection and sustainable management of critical habitats. In Portugal, sites such as the Tagus estuary, the Sado estuary and Ria Formosa, just to mention a few, are of exceptional importance for migratory waterbirds. Portuguese wetlands have a strategic location in the East Atlantic Flyway, providing essential feeding, breeding, and resting habitats for numerous species. The conservation of these sites and species have been directly supported by AEWA’s frameworks and action plans.

Equally important are the monitoring programmes coordinated under the AEWA framework, which provide invaluable scientific data on population trends, threats, and habitat use. These programmes underpin informed conservation decisions and policy development at both national and international levels, ensuring that actions are evidence-based and effective.

Portugal is proud to be part of the AEWA family and to contribute to a shared vision of protecting migratory species and their habitats. This agreement strengthens our ability to act collectively, share knowledge, and implement coordinated measures for species that transcend borders.

On this important anniversary, we celebrate AEWA’s achievements, in Portugal and along the African Eurasian flyways, and express our strong support for its continued mission. We look forward to many more years of cooperation, guided by a common commitment to conserving migratory waterbirds and the ecosystems on which they and we depend.

 

Back to the AEWA 30th anniversary website

Last updated on 17 June 2025

Type: 
News item
Species group: 
Birds