The Governments of the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates jointly led an initiative to explore the development of a new agreement to help conserve migratory birds of prey and owls in the Africa-Eurasian region. This follows decisions by the World Working Group on Birds of Prey and Owls (Budapest 2003) and the Convention on Migratory Species (Nairobi 2005) calling for action to tackle the threats faced by these birds.

Eleonora's Falcon 2004 © Nick P. Williams; www.FalconImages.com

The initiative has been underpinned by a study commissioned by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2005 which found that more than 50% of migratory birds of prey in the African-Eurasian region have a poor conservation status and many are showing rapid or long-term population declines.

A variety of human-induced threats are causing problems such as habitat loss and degradation, illegal shooting and poisoning, collisions with aerial structures and electrocution by power lines. Climate change will add to these problems.

 

Osprey 2003 © Nick P. Williams; www.FalconImages.com

A meeting to identify and elaborate an option for international cooperation on African-Eurasian migratory raptors under CMS was held in Loch Lomond, Scotland, from 22-25 October 2007. It was co-sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom (DEFRA), Scottish Natural Heritage, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and CMS. The Scottish Executive will host the event in conjunction with Government of the United Kingdom.

Red-footed Falcon 2003 © Nick P. Williams; www.FalconImages.com

A second meeting of the Range States to negotiate and conclude a MOU was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from 20-22 October 2008. On 22 October 2008, 28 Range States signed the MOU, which entered into effect on 1 November 2008. With the signature of the MoU at the Ninth Conference of the Parties to CMS in Rome, December 2008, by South Africa and Birdlife International, the membership reached 29 Range States and one Supporting Organisation. Other Range States in Europe and the Arab region are considering the signature of the MoU soon.

In the meanwhile, the UNEP/CMS Project Office has been set up in Abu Dhabi with support of the authorities of the United Arab Emirates. One of the main purposes of the Project Office is coordinating the implementation of the MOU. The official opening is expected soon

The initiative was based on a broad support of international and many national NGOs; the meetings were co-sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom (DEFRA), Scottish Natural Heritage, the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi (EAD) and CMS

The development of the MOU is a key example for the prosperous cooperation of expert-oriented non-governmental organisations and governmental authorities under the umbrella and with active organisational contribution of the CMS Secretariat.