Africa

AEWA’s African Initiative Shines Focus on the Madagascar Pond-heron, White-winged Flufftail and Climate Change Adaptation Efforts

Millions of migratory waterbirds depend on Africa’s wetlands for breeding, feeding, resting and nesting. With the survival of many waterbird populations being particularly at risk in the Afro-tropical region, the AEWA African Initiative plays a crucial role by offering a package of support focused on promoting the implementation of AEWA on the continent

04 April 2022

African Regional Preparatory Meeting for AEWA MOP8 (virtual format)

 The African Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 8th Session of the Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (Pre-MOP8) will take place from 4-7 July 2022. Due to COVID-19 restrictions still in place, the meeting will be held in a virtual format. The AEWA African Pre-MOP8 will provide an important opportunity for the AEWA Contracting Parties in Africa to deliberate on the key issues related to migratory waterbird conservation which will be addressed at the 8th Session of the AEWA Meeting of Parties (MOP8) and, in this regard, review relevant documents to be submitted to MOP8.

03 March 2022

Alert: Increased Risk of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreaks in Wild Bird Populations in Africa

FAO recommends countries in Africa to be on high alert for wild bird mortalities due to H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Given recent reports from West and Southern Africa detecting the virus in Great White Pelicans and coastal birds respectively, the risk of HPAI introduction into other African countries and outbreaks in wild bird populations is regarded as high. Countries should have in place enhanced measures for early detection, diagnosis and outbreak response, in both wild birds and poultry.

21 February 2022

Red List Update: A Cause of Relief and Concern for AEWA Species

The rapidly declining population has led the status of the Maccoa Duck, a waterbird species protected under the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), to be uplisted to Endangered in the updated IUCN Red List of Endangered Species released last week. Seven other AEWA species were downlisted to lower categories, providing a more hopeful news about the status of these species.

14 December 2021

Satellite Tracking of Lesser Flamingos : A Training Workshop in Senegal

A training workshop on satellite tagging and satellite telemetry monitoring of Lesser Flamingos (Phoeniconaias minor) took place at the Djoudj National Bird Park (PNOD) in Senegal from 2 to 5 December 2021. Hosted by the government of Senegal, the 4-day training was jointly organized by the Senegal National Parks Directorate (DPN), the Mauritanian Directorate for the Protection and Restoration of Species and the  Environment (DPREM), the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat and the Tour du Valat research institute.

14 December 2021

New Study: Most African Wetlands Used by Migratory Birds to be Degraded by Climate Change

As much as 87% of the Critical Sites in Africa are predicted to become less suitable for waterbirds by 2050 because of the impact of climate change. These are the findings of a new study by a group of international experts published in Global Change Biology. The research – coordinated by Wetlands International – was supported by the African-Eurasian Waterbirds Agreement (AEWA) and funded by the International Climate Initiative (ICI) of Germany.

25 November 2021

Fresh Layout for AEWA Plan of Action for Africa

The UNEP/AEWA Secretariat is pleased to present the refreshed layout of the AEWA Plan of Action for Africa (PoAA) 2019-2027. The Plan was adopted through Resolution 7.1 at the 7th Session of the Meeting of the Parties in South Africa in December 2018. At the PoAA Working Group meeting (Senegal, October 2017), the African Contracting Parties made a request to the Secretariat to give the PoAA, once adopted, a user-friendly and vibrant layout in order to visually reflect the content of the plan. We hope that with its new look, the AEWA PoAA will be a useful tool for the wide range of stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Agreement.

02 July 2020

In Pictures: AEWA Implementation in Côte d’Ivoire

The successful implementation of AEWA relies on the cooperation and engagement of multiple stakeholders – first and foremost the Contracting Parties to the Agreement. Currently, the AEWA family unites a total of 80 Parties, 42 of them from Eurasia and 38 from Africa. Here is an example – in pictures - of what AEWA implementation looks like in Côte d’Ivoire, highlighting three of the AEWA-related activities carried out by the national AEWA implementing agency, the Department of Wildlife and Hunting (DFRC) of the Ministry of Water and Forestry (MINEF) in Côte d’Ivoire.

22 January 2020

Conservation action for the Grey Crowned-crane and Wattled Crane in Zimbabwe

The Grey Crowned-crane (Balearica regulorum), a tall and majestic bird, which occurs in eastern and southern Africa, is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It has been facing various threats such as habitat degradation and loss, disturbance from livestock and people during the breeding season and the illegal removal of birds and eggs from the wild. Through co-funding under the AEWA Small Grants Fund activities were supported in Zimbabwe focusing on the conservation of the Grey Crowned-crane as well as the Vulnerable Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus).

05 December 2019

Successful Conclusion of Capacity Building Project in Côte d’Ivoire

With co-funding from the AEWA Small Grants Fund, the Ministry of Water and Forestry (Ministère des Eaux et Forêts - MINEF) of Côte d’Ivoire has successfully implemented a 2-year project aimed at strengthening national capacity for the conservation of waterbirds and their habitats. The project focused, in particular, on enhancing capacity for monitoring and the sustainable management of waterbirds and their key sites, awareness-raising on migratory waterbirds and their habitats, and strengthening the involvement of local communities in the sustainable management of these natural resources.

25 November 2019