Bonn, 26 February 2015– Participants in the Klaus Töpfer Fellowship Programme (KTF) visited the UN Premises in Bonn last week and heard a detailed presentation on the work of the CMS Family.  A number of CMS initiatives and instruments are of relevance to the home countries of the fellows, who come from Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

As well as the CMS Memoranda of Understanding on the Aquatic Warbler and the conservation of migratory birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia, the fellows were able to discuss the AEWA International Working Group on the Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus) and the EUROBATS Agreement with CMS Family staff members. Also of particular interest was the recently developed CMS Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI) that aims to provide a coherent framework for conservation of large migratory mammals.  There was also an opportunity to consider the Guidelines on Mitigating the Impact of Linear Infrastructure and Related Disturbance on Mammals in Central.

The KTF, named after the former UNEP Executive Director, Klaus Töpfer, is an extra-occupational training programme designed to strengthen organizations from the nature conservation sector in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.  Implemented by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) in partnership with IUCN, the CBD Secretariat and UNEP-WCMC, it aims to develop the personal capacity of conservation professionals in the early stages of their career. Funding of the programme is provided by the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB).

Acknowledging the successful collaboration between the CMS Secretariat and BfN on KTF and various other projects, the development of the formal partnership agreement was discussed. The parties have agreed on the need to strengthen such collaboration to increase mutual benefits and continue joint work on training and capacity development.