Bonn,
22 June 2012 – The UNEP/AEWA Secretariat is
pleased to announce the accession of the Republic of Zimbabwe
as the 66th Party to the Agreement on 1 June 2012. The
UNEP/AEWA Secretariat regards the accession of Zimbabwe
as a very positive development with the potential to have
a significant impact on conservation activities for migratory
waterbirds in the Southern African region. Zimbabwe has
also acceded to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)
bringing its membership to 117 Parties.

The Republic of Zimbabwe, a land locked country covering
some 39 million hectares, is located between the Zambezi
and Limpopo rivers in the southern part of the African
continent. With 80 per cent of its territory lying above
600m, Zimbabwe contains an impressive variety of woodlands
and open savannah grasslands.

Furthermore, the availability of water from rivers,
swamps and artificial impoundments provides an ideal environment
for a variety of wildlife. Indeed, the variations in topography,
flora and wetlands create a range of unique habitats,
making Zimbabwe a key point on the crossroad of main inland
migratory routes.

According to the Wings Over Wetlands (WOW) Critical
Site Network (CNS) Tool, 135 different migratory waterbird
species occur in Zimbabwe, including inter alia the Maccoa
Duck Oxyura maccoa (Near Threatened), Great Snipe
Gallinago media (Near Threatened), Black-winged
Pratincole Glareola nordmanni (Near Threatened),
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa (Near Threatened),
the Eurasian Curlew Nurmenius aquata (Near Threatened),
the Madagascar Pond-heron Ardeola idae (Endangered)
and the Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor (Near
Threatened) – all species of global conservation
concern.

The UNEP/AEWA Secretariat warmly welcomes
Zimbabwe and is looking forward to closely working with
the responsible national authorities and other stakeholders
in Zimbabwe to support implementation of the Agreement in
the country and to strengthen regional waterbird conservation
efforts within the framework of the new Plan of Action for
Africa adopted by the AEWA Parties at the 5th Session of
the Meeting of the Parties to AEWA, 14-18 May 2012 in La
Rochelle, France

Interview with
Olivia Mufute, International Conventions Manager
from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority
and Focal Point for AEWA, recorded on the occasion of
the 5th Session of the Meeting of the Parties to AEWA,
14-18 May 2012 in La Rochelle, France.