Bonn, 27 July 2012 - A new publication on migratory birds’ migration routes was launched at the Ramsar COP 11, which took place in Bucharest from 6-13 July 2012. BirdLife International, the East Asian - Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP), the Ramsar Convention, Wetlands International and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) joined hands to present the publication entitled “Outcomes of the 2011 Global Waterbird Flyways Workshop”.

It summarizes the outcomes of an international workshop on Global Waterbird Flyways convened by the EAAFP Secretariat in Seosan City, Korea in 2011. The objective was to review good practice in international initiatives to conserve migratory waterbirds and other migratory species and to bring together different flyway initiatives to share knowledge on best practices in developing and implementing flyway-scale waterbird conservation. This facilitates a more global view of flyway efforts undertaken. Despite of the growing number of flyway initiatives, there has been little exchange of information and experience. The report identifies strong potential synergies in the approaches, challenges and opportunities to implement conservation initiatives across all flyways. An open and inclusive network on flyway-scale initiatives entitled “Global Interflyway Network" (GIN) will be set up since there is great value in building on the existing mechanisms.

In order to start up this network, new electronic information-sharing and dialogue mechanisms will be established. The capacity of the GIN Partnership should be made available to support and provide input to the work of multilateral environmental agreements addressing flyway issues including amongst others CMS, AEWA and the Ramsar Convention. Other relevant flyway initiatives that were not represented at the October 2011 workshop are encouraged to participate in the GIN.