AEWA

AEWA, or the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Waterbirds, is an international treaty under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) that focuses on the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats along the African-Eurasian Flyway. The agreement covers more than 250 waterbird species and spans Africa, Europe, and the Near East. States parties commit to conserving these species and their habitats through cooperative actions, national measures, and regular reporting.

The agreement was negotiated under CMS and adopted in 1995 in The Hague, Netherlands, with entry into force on 1 November 1999. The AEWA Secretariat is based in Bonn, Germany, and coordinates governance through the Assembly of AEWA, the overseeing body composed of representatives from each Party, supported by a Standing Committee and a Technical Committee. Implementation is carried out through national action plans, regional agreements, and species action plans, and relies on international cooperation, information exchange, and capacity building.

Parties implement management measures for wetlands and critical sites, regulate hunting, minimize disturbance, preserve habitats, and monitor populations. Guidance and data are shared via the AEWA Information Management System (AIMS), and the Agreement collaborates with partners such as Wetlands International and IUCN, as well as with CMS ecosystem-based approaches. Funding for implementation comes from donor support and national contributions.

AEWA contributes to stabilizing or recovering waterbird populations and their habitats, supporting broader conservation goals and the sustainable use of wetlands. It provides a framework for regional flyway cooperation and has driven numerous habitat restoration and protection initiatives across its range.