AEWA’s 30th Anniversary: Celebrating Three Decades of Flyway Conservation in Action

PRESS RELEASE

AEWA’s 30th Anniversary: Celebrating Three Decades of Flyway Conservation in Action

 

Bonn, 16 June 2025 – Today, the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) marks a significant milestone – its 30th Anniversary. On 16 June 1995, negotiators representing 54 governments signed the “Final Act” in The Hague, the Netherlands that led to the birth of this landmark treaty, dedicated to conserving migratory waterbirds and their habitats along the African-Eurasian Flyway.

For the past three decades, AEWA has united countries, organizations, and individuals across Africa and Eurasia in a shared mission to conserve migratory waterbirds. The Agreement has become a symbol of international collaboration, guiding science-based conservation action on a flyway scale and fostering cooperation across borders for the benefit of millions of migratory waterbirds.

“For 30 years, AEWA has stood as a beacon of innovation and international nature cooperation,” said Jacques Trouvilliez, Executive Secretary of AEWA. “From pioneering species action and management plans to addressing threats such as lead poisoning and habitat loss, the Agreement has built a solid foundation for coordinated conservation action along the African-Eurasian Flyway,” said Trouvilliez.

With currently 85 Contracting Parties, including 39 from Africa and 46 from Eurasia including the European Union, AEWA is the largest legally binding instrument concluded under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

AEWA allows countries across the African-Eurasian flyway to work together to better conserve and sustainably use more than 550 populations of a total of 255 species of birds ecologically dependent on wetlands for at least part of their annual cycle. These include many species of divers, grebes, pelicans, cormorants, herons, storks, rails, ibises, spoonbills, flamingos, ducks, swans, geese, cranes, waders, gulls, terns, auks, frigate birds and even the southern African penguin.

“Over the past three decades, AEWA has grown into a strong motor for flyway conservation across Africa and Eurasia. Rooted in science – the treaty has provided useful guidance to countries wishing to conserve migratory waterbirds, launch innovative initiatives such as the European Goose Management Platform, AEWA’s African Initiative and World Migratory Bird Day,” said Trouvilliez. “These efforts have helped strengthen national capacities and improve collaboration among nations along the flyway. They have also helped address complex species management challenges and raise global awareness about the importance of conserving migratory waterbirds, a resource which benefits local communities,” he added.

Countries that have joined AEWA have committed to a series of measures intended to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of the waterbirds covered by AEWA. These measures include a series of actions geared towards protecting and restoring waterbird habitat, managing human activities, engaging in research and monitory as well as carrying out education and training initiatives that support international conservation efforts. 

To mark the anniversary of the treaty, the AEWA Secretariat has developed a dedicated 30th Anniversary Webpage, which brings together some of the highlights of the past 30 years of international waterbird conservation under the Agreement. It also features three new animations that are being launched globally to coincide with the anniversary.

In a special tribute for the 30th Anniversary of AEWA, the United Nations Postal Administration has included three AEWA-listed species in its 2025 Endangered Species Stamp Series: the African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus), Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum), and White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala).

 The AEWA Secretariat has also received numerous anniversary messages from across the flyway – from Parties and long-standing partners to individuals who have helped shape the Agreement. These inspiring statements, available on the anniversary webpage, reflect the enduring commitment to AEWA’s mission and the strength of the international conservation community that has helped make AEWA what it is today.

“Let us celebrate this special year by reaffirming our commitment to international cooperation for migratory waterbirds,” said Trouvilliez. “Together, we can build on AEWA’s 30-year legacy to ensure a thriving future for migratory waterbirds that use our Flyway.”

 

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NOTES TO EDITORS:

About the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA)

The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) is an inter-governmental treaty dedicated to the conservation of migratory waterbirds that migrate along the African-Eurasian Flyway. The Agreement covers 255 species of birds ecologically dependent on wetlands for at least part of their annual cycle. A total of 84 countries and the European Union have signed the environmental treaty, which has a geographic range covering 119 countries across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Greenland, and the Canadian Archipelago. Learn more at www.unep-aewa.org   

RESOURCES:

Website: Celebrating 30 Years of AEWA

Social Media: #30YearsAEWA on LinkedIn and Facebook

Social Media Package: https://trello.com/b/Qj5OSIJZ/aewa-trello-board

MEDIA CONTACT:

For further information, please contact: Florian Keil, Information Officer, UNEP/AEWA Secretariat, Bonn, Germany. Email: florian.keil@un.org | Tel: +49 228 8152451

Last updated on 16 June 2025