AEWA Technical Committee Advances Preparations for MOP9 at its 20th Meeting in Mikulov

A group of Bar-tailed Godwits © JJ Harrison

Mikulov, 28 February 2025 - The 20th Meeting of the AEWA Technical Committee (TC20) successfully convened in the picturesque town of Mikulov, Czech Republic, from 24-28 February 2025.

Hosted by the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic and co-funded by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the four-day meeting brought together experts and policy makers from across Africa and Eurasia. Participants of the meeting included regional representatives, experts from a wide spectrum of fields as well as Party Observers and several key implementing partner organizations of the Agreement.

“The work of the AEWA Technical Committee is fundamental to ensure that decisions made by AEWA Parties are grounded in sound science and practical conservation measures,” said Jacques Trouvilliez, Executive Secretary of AEWA.

The meeting was chaired by Mohammed Shobrak of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who is the TC representative of the South-west Asian region. It covered an extensive agenda focused on assessing the status of implementation of the Technical Committee’s Work Plan for the period 2023 – 2025 as well as reviewing key papers ahead of the 9th Session of the Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (MOP9) scheduled to take place 10 - 14 November 2025 in Botswana.

“I would like to thank the Czech Republic for hosting this important meeting and the United Kingdom for their generous support. I also want to thank all the members and observers of the Technical Committee for their active participation and valuable contributions. We had a lot of items to cover, and many things discussed here at the Technical Committee in Mikulov will be very beneficial to AEWA Parties in their efforts to protect migratory waterbirds,” said Mohammed Shobrak, Chair of the AEWA Technical Committee.

The AEWA meeting in Mikulov coincided with the 30th anniversary of the last confirmed sighting of the now-extinct Slender-billed Curlew. The tragic loss of this AEWA species highlights the need for stronger conservation efforts and discussions at TC 20 included a proposal for a new category of listing under the treaty that would maintain extinct species as listed - a reminder that timely action is crucial to preventing further extinctions.

“It is clear that we need to act quickly to prevent further extinctions and achieve our common goal of conserving migratory waterbirds across our flyway,” said Shobrak.

Participants of the 20th Meeting of the AEWA Technical Committee © UNEP/AEWA Secretariat

Eight dedicated working groups convened to evaluate their respective areas, including species and habitat conservation, management of human activity, education and information and implementation. Discussions also included the TC Work Plan for 2026-2028 and the review and planning of seven draft resolutions for MOP9.

Other key topics of the meeting included:

Amendments to the AEWA Action Plan: The Committee reviewed proposed changes to Annex 3, including population listings.
International Species Action Plans: An evaluation report for the Taiga Bean Goose Action Plan and a conservation brief for the Action Plan for the Greenland White-fronted Goose were reviewed, alongside discussions on a new action plan for the Iceland/UK & Ireland Greylag Goose population.
Seabird Conservation: The Technical Committee deliberated on the implementation of seabird conservation measures under AEWA and agreed on how to proceed with the topic at MOP9.
Impact of Sea-Level Rise: An overview paper on the implications of rising sea levels for migratory waterbirds was reviewed and agreed.
Socio-Economic Importance of Waterbirds: The Committee examined a Terms of Reference for outsourcing the compilation of highlights of cultural and economic significance of waterbirds.
Research, Monitoring, and Reporting: The Committee assessed knowledge gaps, templates for national reporting, and a paper aiming to improve AEWA’s science-policy interface.
Communication, Education, and Public Awareness (CEPA): The meeting discussed ways to strengthen communication and outreach under the treaty and provided guidance on how to develop a CEPA plan for AEWA.

On the day after the meeting, participants had the opportunity to visit the Lednice-Valtice Area and the Lednice fishponds Ramsar Site, as well as attend an early morning observation of geese at the Nové Mlýny Water Reservoir. Throughout the week, participants were offered several social events, were presented with local folklore as well as a guided walk through the historic city of Mikulov.

"The 20th AEWA Technical Committee meeting in Mikulov was not only a crucial step in advancing waterbird conservation but also an opportunity to showcase the rich natural and cultural heritage of South Moravia. Our goal was to create a productive environment and unforgettable experience for our international guest - and judging by the participants' reactions, I think we achieved that," said Libuše Vlasáková, Senior Advisor at the Czech Ministry of the Environment, who was also instrumental in overseeing the process of the Czech Republic’s accession to AEWA.

As AEWA moves toward MOP9, the outcomes of TC20 will play a vital role in guiding international efforts to protect migratory waterbirds and their habitats across Africa and Eurasia.

“The meeting in Mikulov has been a crucial step in refining our strategies, addressing emerging challenges, and strengthening our collective efforts to protect migratory waterbirds. With mounting pressures on waterbird populations, AEWA’s role in uniting governments and a wide range of stakeholders, including the science community - has never been more critical,” concludes Trouvilliez.

TC20 meeting documents can be accessed here.

About the Technical Committee:

The AEWA Technical Committee is a subsidiary body of the Agreement, which provides scientific and technical advice to the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) and, through the Secretariat, to Parties. It makes recommendations on the AEWA Action Plan and the implementation of the Agreement and its membership comprises nine experts elected by MOP on a regional basis, representatives appointed by three organizations (IUCN, Wetlands International and the CIC), and thematic experts on the topics of environmental law, game management, rural economics and communication, education and public awareness. The Committee works closely with the Standing Committee to ensure consistency across the Agreement’s work.