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Successful AEWA Promotion Workshop held in Burkina Faso

Opening ceremony (from left to right: Executive Secretary of AEWA, Bert Lenten , Minister of Environment and Livelihood, Mr. Salifou Sawadogo and Director General for Nature Conservation, Mr. Ouedraogo Joachim)On the 23rd and 24th of September 2010, an information and awareness-raising workshop on the accession of Burkina Faso to the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) took place in Loumbila, Burkina Faso. The workshop was jointly organized by the Ministry of Environment and Livelihoods in Burkina Faso (MECV) and the AEWA Secretariat, and its implementation was made possible thanks to a voluntary financial contribution from the Swiss Government.

The workshop aimed to provide a forum for exchange of information on AEWA-related issues between the different institutions and organizations involved in the process of Burkina Faso’s accession to AEWA, and subsequently in the implementation of AEWA in the country, with the ultimate goal of accelerating the accession process.

The workshop brought together 31 participants from the Burkina Faso public administration (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation - MAECR, Ministry of Economy and Finance and Ministry of Environment and Livelihoods), non-governmental organizations (International Union for the Conservation of Nature – IUCN and the Foundation of Friends of Nature – NATURAMA, the BirdLife Partner in Burkina Faso), and the AEWA Secretariat.

Workshop participants

The opening ceremony was presided over by the Honorable Minister of Environment and Livelihoods, Mr. Salifou Sawadogo (speech available in French only), who highlighted the importance of Burkina Faso as a passage and wintering area for migratory waterbirds. The country annually hosts about 119 seasonal migrant species, including about 80 Western Palearctic migrants. Mr. Sawadogo also acknowledged the fact that acceding to AEWA would offer multiple ecological, economical and social benefits to the country.

There was a warm welcome to the workshop participants from Mr. Ouedraogo Joachim, Director General for Nature Conservation and chairman of the National Organizing Committee.

In his opening speech (speech available in French only), the Executive Secretary of AEWA Mr. Bert Lenten, emphasised the importance of international cooperation for effective implementation of AEWA and the importance of Burkina Faso’s accession to the Agreement.

Workshop participants Opening ceremony (from left to right: Executive Secretary of AEWA, Bert Lenten , Minister of Environment and Livelihood, Mr. Salifou Sawadogo and Director General for Nature Conservation, Mr. Ouedraogo Joachim) Presentation by workshop participant

The entire workshop was chaired by Mr. Sambo Coulibaly, Inspector General of Departments of the Ministry of Environment and Livelihoods. During the workshop, presentations were delivered by the different participating institutions and were followed by question and answer sessions. The different topics addressed included:

  • Environmental Conventions and Agreements ratified by Burkina Faso and the ratification procedures in Burkina Faso: by representatives from MECV and MAECR;




  • The National Policy on Wildlife Management in Burkina Faso: by a representative from MECV;




  • Wetlands in Burkina Faso: by the Ramsar National Focal Point in MECV;




  • The activities carried out by BirdLife International and Wetlands International in Burkina Faso: by the representative from NATURAMA;




  • AEWA and Flyway Conservation: by the AEWA Secretariat;




  • The Organisation of Hunting in Burkina Faso and its impacts on the conservation of waterbirds: by a representative from MECV;




  • The advantages and obligations linked to accession to AEWA: by the AEWA Secretariat.

In addition, a concise and explicit roadmap indicating the next steps to be taken with regard to the accession process at the national level was developed. The roadmap outlines the different milestones, corresponding responsible authorities and proposed deadlines for their accomplishment. The roadmap was approved by the workshop participants, and annexed to the final declaration between the Ministry of Environment and Livelihoods and the AEWA Secretariat. This Declaration would go a step further to emphasizing the engagement of the two institutions in ensuring that the accession process advances significantly in the near future.

For a better appreciation of the value of Burkina Faso’s wetlands, the workshop participants took part in a field trip to the pond of sacred Crocodiles in Bazoulé village, where the local populations live in harmony with these intelligent reptiles. The participants also visited the tortoise’s visitor center at this wetland.

Pond of sacred crocodiles Workshop participants being informed about the history of the sacred crocodiles Bazoulé marsh

The workshop participants demonstrated a remarkable and unanimous positive stance with regard to the need for Burkina Faso’s accession to AEWA, which was illustrated by their very active participation and excellent team spirit throughout the workshop. They also ensured their active contribution towards the completion of the accession process as well as towards the subsequent implementation of the Agreement in the country. Both local and national radio and television stations provided substantial press coverage (available in French only), spreading the positive message about migratory waterbird conservation to the general public.

In his closing speech, the Executive Secretary of the AEWA Secretariat acknowledged the important contribution each workshop participant could make towards ensuring the successful accomplishment of the workshop goals and expressed the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat’s wish to welcome the Government of Burkina Faso as a Contracting Party to AEWA in the near future.