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Building Capacity in Western Indian Ocean Islands

© Birgit Drerup, AEWA Secretariat

An AEWA Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop for Western Indian Ocean islands has helped build capacity on the flyway approach to the conservation and wise use of waterbirds and wetlands. From 6 to 10 February 2023, the workshop, which was hosted by the government of Mauritius, brought together 35 participants from Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius including Rodrigues Island, Seychelles, Mayotte and Réunion.

28 March 2023

EU Bans Lead Shot in Wetlands

An estimated one million waterbirds in Europe fall victim every year to lead poisoning after consuming spent shot. The new ban in wetlands across the EU and EEA will help reduce this mortality.

The 15 February 2023 represents the transpiring of the 24 month transition period from the original 25th January 2021 which has allowed shooting stakeholders to adapt their practices for example by changing to non-toxic steel shot. It also further mandates all AEWA Parties of the EU and EEA to fulfil their obligations under the Agreement and brings harmonisation of restrictions across the regions to protect waterbirds from lead poisoning in wetlands. 

15 February 2023

The Eurasian Spoonbill International Expert Group Met in Zadar, Croatia, October 3-7, 2022, for its 10th International Workshop

Eurasian Spoonbills © Maurice Benmergui

Jointly organized by the Croatian Society for Birds and Nature Protection, the Department of Biology University of Osijek, the CASA Institute of Ornithology, and the Tour du Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, this workshop gathered 29 participants from 15 different countries. The group was created in 1992, and this workshop takes place every three years. It involves staff from various nature conservation organizations, including scientists, members of NGOs, managers of breeding sites, students, all passionate about this emblematic wetland species.

19 December 2022

World Migratory Bird Day 2023 to Focus on Water

World Migratory Bird Day 2023 will focus on the topic of water and its importance for migratory birds.

We are pleased to announce that next year’s World Migratory Bird Day campaign will focus on the topic of water and its importance for migratory birds. Water is fundamental to life on our planet. The vast majority of migratory birds rely on aquatic ecosystems during their life cycles. Inland and coastal wetlands, rivers, lakes, streams, marshes, and ponds are all vital for feeding, drinking, or nesting, and also as places to rest and refuel during their long journeys.

01 December 2022

Call for Proposals to Change Delineations of Waterbird Populations Listed on Table 1 of Annex 3 to AEWA

Great Snipe © Canva.com

In preparation for the 9th edition of the AEWA Conservation Status Report (CSR9), the AEWA Technical Committee is calling for proposals to change existing delineations of AEWA populations in the light of new evidence.

30 November 2022

Call for Applications – AEWA Training of Trainers Workshop on Flyway Conservation

Previous Training of Trainers Workshop © Tim Dodman

The Secretariat of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA) is pleased to announce the call for applications for a regional-level Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on the Flyway Approach to the Conservation and Wise Use of Waterbirds and Wetlands, scheduled to take place from 6 to 10 February 2023 in Mauritius, at the kind invitation of the Government of Mauritius.

28 October 2022

AEWA MOP8 Daily Coverage for Friday, 30 September 2022

Jacques Trouvilliez, AEWA's Executive Secretary © CIC/Eszter Gordon

Budapest, 20 September 2022 – The final and closing day of AEWA MOP8 in Budapest (Friday, 30 September 2022) began with a special ceremony to honor two recipients of the AEWA Conservation Award as well as the recognition of a Champion Plus under the Migratory Species Champions Programme – a fundraising scheme designed to support the implementation of AEWA and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Family of Agreements.

30 September 2022

The RESSOURCE Project Presented Two Side-Events at the 8th Session of the Meeting of the Parties to AEWA

© Eszter Gordon

The RESSOURCE Project team presented the major results and outcomes obtained since 2017 in the five participating countries (Senegal, Mali, Tchad, Sudan and Egypt). The achievements covered a diversity of areas including waterbird monitoring, database management, wetlands conservation initiatives, support to Ramsar sites designation, socio-economic assessment of waterbird harvesting, legal analysis, training and capacity building.

30 September 2022

Cameroon Accedes to AEWA as Party No. 83

Flag of the Republic of Cameroon

The UNEP/AEWA Secretariat is pleased to announce the accession of the Republic of Cameroon as AEWA’s 83rd Party with the country’s membership of the Agreement taking effect on 1 October 2022, one day after the 8th Session of the Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (MOP8). Cameroon hosts a wide range of migratory waterbird species, of which 186 populations are listed under AEWA, including populations of the Black Crowned-crane (Balearica pavonina), the African Comb Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos), and the Little Tern (Sternula albifrons).

30 September 2022

Saving Africa’s Most Elusive Waterbird from the Brink of Extinction

White-winged Flufftail © Arno Ellmer

We at BirdLife South Africa have a long history of engaging with AEWA and supporting the Agreement’s implementation. From coastal seabirds, to waders, to flufftails and flamingos, AEWA species feature prominently in our organisation’s efforts to better understand and protect birds and their habitats. We view these activities as important not only for birds themselves, but for biodiversity more broadly and, indeed, for people, whose health and livelihoods depend on the services delivered by healthy ecosystems.

30 September 2022