As the 7^th Meeting of the Sessional Committee of the CMS Scientific Council (17-20 September 2024) prepares to discuss the International Single Species Action Plan for the Sooty Falcon (ISSAP) commissioned by the Raptors MOU, Egypt takes a leap step in mobilising national action to adopt a national plan to conserve Sooty Falcons.

The Sooty Falcon is classified globally as a Vulnerable species owing to the declining trend of its global population. This species breeds in and migrates through Egypt, and the best available estimates suggest that just below 300 breeding pairs nest in the country every year. Egypt’s breeding population is believed one of the largest amongst the 16 Range States where the species nests. This awards great significance to any conservation efforts taken at national level to reverse the species’ decline, and that is why Egypt is not letting the opportunity fly away.

The ISSAP developed by the Coordinating Unit of the Raptors MOU aims to reduce the risk of extinction of the Sooty Falcon by halting the decline of its population to a point where it qualifies for downlisting to at least Near Threatened. Ensuring that this is achieved requires Range States and other stakeholders to take concerted, as well as unilateral action.

The ISSAP covers approximately three generations of the species and puts in place actions under three objectives: (1) protect the species; (2) improve knowledge through monitoring and research; and (3) exchange lessons learnt and raise awareness. Each action of the Plan is accompanied by an outcome, target countries and stakeholders, and an indication of implementation priority. All Range States of the Sooty Falcon are called to implement the Plan.

On 27 August 2024, the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency hosted a workshop in Cairo to analyze the actions proposed in the CMS-led ISSAP and identify suitable activities for implementing at national level. Funded by the Environmental Egyptian Italian Cooperation Program, the workshop brought together key stakeholders—the Ministry of Tourism, protected area managers, local communities, non-governmental organizations, biodiversity consultants, the funding entity, and others—to discuss and develop a draft version of a national action plan for the Sooty Falcon.

Dr Shaimaa Taha, Chief Technical Officer of the Nature Conservation Sector of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, stated that “for better achievements, participatory planning is the most effective way”. That is why the workshop aimed—and succeeded—at involving all relevant stakeholders, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals not only on environmental protection (SDG 15), but also on promoting inclusiveness and partnerships (SDGs 16 and 17).

The workshop concluded with commitments from the Ministry of Tourism and Nature Conservation Egypt (BirdLife’s Partner in Egypt) to support the implementation of the plan. As next steps, Egypt aims to release its national action plan for the conservation of the Sooty Falcon and raise funding for its implementation.

The Coordinating Unit of the Raptors MOU, represented by Mr Umberto Gallo-Orsi (Programme Management Officer) and Ms Lauren Lopes (Associate Programme Management Officer), congratulated Egypt for its efforts towards the protection of a Vulnerable species, emphasizing the importance of the work undertaken to date and reiterating its commitment to continue supporting the country in its conservation endeavors.

Egypt, one of the 29 Range States of the Sooty Falcon, now becomes the first country working on the ISSAP’s recommendation for countries to develop national action plans for the conservation of Sooty Falcons.