Bonn,
6 June 2011 - The Republic of Azerbaijan is host to
an amazing variety of migratory waterbirds. More than 50
of the waterbird populations covered by AEWA concentrate
in internationally important numbers in the Kizil Agach
Nature Reserve which borders the Caspian Sea in southern
Azerbaijan, making it one of the most important sites for
migratory waterbirds in the Agreement area.

As Azerbaijan is not yet a Party to the Agreement,
the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat organized a meeting at the
Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan
in Baku on 26 of May to follow up on accession discussions
launched with the country several years ago. Ministry
representatives confirmed that the accession process
is ongoing and estimated that - depending on when a final
sign off by the Cabinet of Ministers is obtained - AEWA
could be ratified by the Parliament and signed by the
President within a year. The Secretariat underlined that
it would be very good if Azerbaijan would accede to the
Agreement in time for the next Meeting of the AEWA Parties
to be held in May 2012 in France.

Following
the accession meeting representatives also took part in
a two-day workshop (26-27 May) on the Lesser White-fronted
Goose (LWfG) with the aim to start the process of drafting
a National Action Plan and setting up a National Working
Group for the species. The workshop was attended by representatives
from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources - including
LWfG national focal point Ms. Nigar Abdurahmanova - as
well as representatives from relevant National Reserves
and Parks and the Azerbaijan Ornithological Society. Drafting
of the National Action Plan for the LWfG will be led by
Mr. Elchin Sultanov of the Azerbaijan Ornithological Society
in close cooperation with the Ministry and all other stakeholders.

Participants
concluded that the main threats to the LWfG in Azerbaijan
are illegal hunting and changes in habitat management.
The conservation of the species in the country is hampered
by gaps in key knowledge and insufficient human resources
and capacity. So far the LWfG has not been included in
the national Red Data Book for threatened species, but
it will be included in the updated version which is expected
to be adopted next year.

 

 

Kizil
Agach Nature Reserve was recognized as the most important
site for migrating/wintering LWfG in Azerbaijan. Further
management measures need to be undertaken as a matter
of priority in the reserve in order to ensure that the
LWfG are fully protected from poaching in the area and
that sufficient suitable feeding habitat is available.
Monitoring needs to be increased substantially and reserve
wardens need to be supplied with proper equipment as well
as training in bird identification and monitoring practices,
with a focus on the identification and monitoring of LWfG.

The UNEP/AEWA Secretariat looks forward to enhancing its cooperation with Azerbaijan and hopes to welcome Azerbaijan as a Contracting Party to the Agreement soon.

The accession meeting and subsequent workshop were kindly funded by the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management.