Bonn,
2 March 2009 - The AEWA Secretariat would like to join
many others around the world today in congratulating Dr.
Marco Lambertini for his appointment as the new Chief Executive
of BirdLife International as of 1 March 2009.

His appointment was announced by Peter
Schei, Chairman of BirdLife's Global Council in a message
to the BirdLife Partnership and in a news release entitled
"Change at the top" featured on BirdLife International's
website today.

"I would like to congratulate Marco
on his appointment to this vital role within BirdLife International.
We have worked together on several occasions and I look
forward to continuing this close and good relationship with
him in the years to come!" said Bert Lenten, Executive
Secretary of AEWA.

After being the Director of LIPU (Italian
Society for the Protection of Birds - BirdLife Italy), Dr.
Lambertini has been the Director of Network and Programme
at BirdLife International for the past 10 years, where he
was closely involved in a number of international bird conservation
projects also related to AEWA, such as the development and
coordination of the Single Species Action Plan for the critically
endangered Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita)
the Wings Over Wetlands (WOW) UNEP-GEF African-Eurasian
Flyways Project, World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), and the
new AEWA WETCAP Project for Northern Africa.

In the original BLI announcement, Dr. Mike
Rands, the outgoing CEO of BirdLife International, said
the following about Dr. Lambertini:

"I am delighted to congratulate
Marco Lambertini on his appointment as the next BirdLife
Chief Executive. Marco brings enormous knowledge, passion
and skills to his new role. He is deeply committed to conservation,
and has great energy and enthusiasm for this amazing organization".

The AEWA Secretariat is looking forward
to continuing to work closely with BirdLife International
under the new leadership of Dr. Marco Lambertini to further
strengthen our existing cooperation with a view to increase
international efforts to conserve migratory waterbirds across
their African-Eurasian Flyways.

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