9th Meeting of the AEWA Standing Committee in Trondheim, Norway

Bonn, 13 September 2013 - The AEWA Standing Committee is coming together for its 9th Meeting on 18 – 19 September 2013 in Trondheim, Norway hosted by the Norwegian Environment Agency. In addition to Standing Committee Members, representatives from AEWA Range States as well as other stakeholders are expected to attend the meeting as observers.

Items on the agenda include the adoption of a revised AEWA national reporting format for 2012 - 2014, the approval of which is a crucial step forward to launching the MOP6 reporting cycle in the beginning of 2014. A new AEWA Single Species Action Plan for the Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) will be presented to the Standing Committee for preliminary approval in order to allow for the respective range states to start their implementation. Final approval of the plan will take place at the 6th Session of the Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (MOP6) in 2015.

The Standing Committee is further expected to discuss and decide on issues such as the offer made by Iceland to host MOP6 in Reykjavik in 2015 as well as the participation of AEWA in the so-called Migratory Species Champion Programme proposed by the UNEP/CMS Secretariat. The Standing Committee will also receive updates prepared by the Secretariat on finance and administrative issues, the AEWA Implementation Review Process, the ongoing revision of the AEWA Communication Strategy as well as the current status of AEWA International Single Species Action Plans and Management Plans. Progress made on the implementation of the AEWA African Initiative will be reported by the Secretariat as well as representatives of the Technical Support Unit offered by France to support the implementation of the AEWA Plan of Action for Africa. In addition, the Standing Committee will receive a preliminary analysis on the implications of the possible extension of the Agreement to include the Central Asian Flyway.

The recently appointed CMS Executive Secretary, Dr. Bradnee Chambers, will also attend the meeting to brief the Standing Committee on the development of the new Strategic Plan for Migratory Species and lead discussions on its implications for AEWA. In addition, Dr. Chambers is expected to lead the Standing Committee discussion on the pending recruitment of the AEWA Executive Officer.

All meeting documents are available on the AEWA website. For more information, please contact the AEWA Acting Executive Secretary Mr Marco Barbieri.