CELEX: 51995PC0444
Language: pt
Date: 1995-09-26
Title: Proposta de DECISÃO DO CONSELHO relativa à assinatura pela Comunidade Europeia do Acordo sobre a Conservação das Aves Aquáticas Migradoras da África-Eurásia

COMISSÃO DAS COMUNIDADES EUROPEIAS
                                 Bruxelas, 26.09.1995
                                 COM(95)444 final
                     Proposta de
            DECISÃO DO CONSELHO
 relativa à assinatura pela Comunidade Europeia
          do Acordo sobre a Conservação
das Aves Aquáticas Migradoras da África-Eurásia
            (apresentada pela Comissão)
              '-*.>
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                     Exposição dos motivos
A Comunidade é parte contratante da Convenção sobre a conservação das espécies
migratórias pertencentes à fauna selvagem (Convenção de Bona - CMS)1.
O artigo IV da Convenção prevê a conclusão de acordos regionais que, aplicando-se a
espécies do Anexo II (cujo estado de conservação é desfavorável), deve realizar-se o,mais
rapidamente possível.
As aves aquáticas com trajectos migratórios afro-eurasiáticos, que se incluem no Anexo
II, merecem uma atenção especial para que seja melhorado o seu estado de conservação
e sejam recolhidas informações que servirão de base para uma gestão judiciosa.
A Resolução 1.6 da primeira reunião da Conferência das Partes da Convenção concluiu
sobre a necessidade da preparação de um acordo para a protecção dos anatídeos do
Paleárctico Ocidental. Entre 1988 e 1991 o Governo dos Países Baixos, com o acordo
da Comunidade e em colaboração com o Secretariado da Convenção, a IUCN, um grupo
de trabalho do Conselho Científico da CMS e o International Waterfowl and Wetland
Research Bureau (IWRB), procedeu à elaboração de um projecto de acordo que incluía
um plano de acção para os anatídeos e um plano de gestão e que, com base numa
iniciativa do Secretariado da Convenção, acabou por se traduzir num novo projecto de
acordo de âmbito mais alargado, incluindo outras espécies de aves aquáticas migradoras.
Entre 12 e 14 de Junho de 1994 decorreu em Nairobi uma reunião informal de
negociação após a 4 a reunião da Conferência das Partes da Convenção, que teve lugar
na mesma cidade uns dias antes (7-11 de Junho de 1994). Nessa reunião estiveram
presentes representantes da Comissão.
O Secretariado da Convenção procedeu à revisão do projecto de acordo e apresentou-o
na reunião de negociação, realizada em Haia de 12 a 16 de Junho de 1995, como base
para as negociações. O acordo foi finalmente adoptado por consenso por sessenta e três
Estados da área de distribuição e pela Comunidade Europeia e estará aberto para
assinatura a partir de 16 de Outubro de 1995.
Este acordo tem por objectivo criar um quadro jurídico para a política de conservação
concertada dos Estados da área de distribuição das espécies e populações de aves
         JO 1.210, 19 07.1982, p 10
 ---pagebreak--- aquáticas migradoras, cujos indivíduos migram no Paleárctico Ocidental c em África,
independentemente do seu actual estado de conservação.
O Acordo abrange:
- cerca de 170 espécies;
- uma área de 60 milhões de km2, incluindo 116 Estados da área de distribuição e
compreendendo a totalidade da África e da Europa e parte da Asia.
O texto do acordo inclui três anexos:
- um mapa da área geográfica abrangida;
- uma lista das famílias de aves migradoras abrangidas;
- um plano de acção.
O Acordo exige, em especial, medidas coordenadas para atingir e manter um estado de
conservação favorável das aves aquáticas migradoras da África-Eurásia. O artigo III prevê
a adopção de medidas de conservação. O Anexo III (plano de acção) especifica as acções
a empreender pelas Partes relativamente às espécies prioritárias de acordo com as
medidas gerais de conservação especificadas no artigo III.
O acordo refere se essencialmente a assuntos da competência comunitária que, a nível
interno, são regulamentados pelas directivas do Conselho 79/409/CEE relativa à
conservação das aves selvagens2 e 92/43/CEE relativa à preservação dos habitats naturais
e da fauna e Hora selvagens1.
Além disso, a Comunidade é parte na Convenção de Berna sobre a conservação da vida
selvagem e do meio natural da Europa4 e na Convenção de Barcelona para a protecção
do Mar Mediterrâneo contra a poluição5, com os respectivos protocolos, em especial o
Protocolo sobre as zonas de protecção especial6 .
É, por conseguinte, conveniente que a Comunidade assine o Acordo sobre a Conservação
das Aves Aquáticas Migradoras da África-Eurásia, sujeito a conclusão futura.
        J O l . 103, 25 04 1979, p. 1
        J O l . 206, 22.07.1992, p. 7
        J O l . 38, 10.02.1982, p. :
        J O l . 240, 19.09 1977, p. 3
        JOL 68, 10.03 1984, p. 36
 ---pagebreak---                                        Proposta de Decisão do Conselho
                             relativa à assinatura pela Comunidade Europeia
                                        do Acordo sobre a Conservação
                           das Aves Aquáticas Migradoras da África-Eurásia
O CONSELHO DA UNIÃO EUROPEIA
Tendo em conta o Tratado que institui a Comunidade Europeia,
Tendo em conta a proposta da Comissão,
Considerando que a Comunidade é parte contratante na Convenção sobre a conservação
das espécies migratórias pertencentes à fauna selvagem (Convenção de Bona)1;
Considerando que o artigo IV da Convenção de Bona prevê a conclusão de acordos
regionais que, aplicando-se a espécies cujo estado de conservação é desfavorável (espécies
do Anexo II), deve realizar-se o mais rapidamente possível;
Considerando que as aves aquáticas com trajectos migratórios afro-eurasiáticos, que são
espécies incluídas no Anexo II, merecem uma atenção especial a fim de que seja
melhorado o seu estado de conservação e sejam recolhidas informações que servirão de
base para uma gestão judiciosa;
Considerando que a primeira reunião da Conferência das Partes da Convenção decidiu
da necessidade de preparação de um acordo para a conservação dos Ánatidae do
Paleárctico Ocidental; que o projecto de acordo foi posteriormente alterado de forma a
incluir outras espécies de aves aquáticas;
Considerando que a conservação das aves aquáticas migradoras é essencialmente da
competência comunitária, nomeadamente do âmbito da Directiva 79/409/CEE do
Conselho, de 2 de Abril de 1979, relativa à conservação das aves selvagens2, com a
última redacção que lhe foi dada pela Directiva 94/24/CE do Conselho3, e da Directiva
92/43/CEE do Conselho, de 21 de Maio de 1992, relativa à preservação dos habitats
naturais e da fauna e flora selvagens4;
Considerando que a Comissão participou, em nome da Comunidade e em conformidade
com as directrizes de negociação adoptadas pelo Conselho em 7 de Junho de 1995, na
reunião de negociação que decorreu em Haia de 12 a 16 de Junho de 1995; que nessa
        J O l . 210, 19.07.1982, p. 10
        J O l . 103, 25.04.1979, p. 1
        J O l . 164, 30.06.1994, p. 9
        JO 1.206, 22.07.1992, p. 7
 ---pagebreak--- reunião loi adoptado por consenso o Acordo sobre a Conservação das Aves Aquáticas
Migradoras da África-Eurásia (a seguir designado o Acordo);
Considerando que o Acordo estará aberto para assinatura a partir de 16 de Outubro de
1995;
Considerando que é conveniente que o Acordo seja assinado pela Comunidade, sujeito
a conclusão posterior,
DECIDE:
                                     Artigo único
O Presidente do Conselho fica autorizado a designar a(s) pessoa(s) habilitadas a assinar,
em nome da Comunidade e sob reserva de conclusão posterior, o Acordo sobre a
Conservação das Aves Aquáticas Migradoras da África-Eurásia e a conferir-lhe(s) os
poderes necessários para o efeito.
                                                                    Feito em Bruxelas,
                                                                          Pelo Conselho
                                                                           O Presidente
 ---pagebreak---        AGREEMENT ON THE CONSERVATION OF AFRICAN-EURASIAN
                            MIGRATORY WATERBIRDS
     THE CONTRACTING PARTIES,
     RECALLING that the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species
of Wild Animals, 1979, encourages international cooperative action to conserve
migratory species;
                                                                                   c
     RECALLING further that the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties
to the Convention, held in Bonn in October 1985, instructed the Secretariat of -
the Convention to take appropriate measures to develop an Agreement on
Western Palearctic Ánatidae;
     CONSIDERING that migratory waterbirds constitute an important part of the
global biological diversity which, in keeping with the spirit of the Convention on
Biological Diversity, 1992, and Agenda 21 should be conserved for the benefit
of present and future generations;
     AWARE of the economic, social, cultural and recreational benefits accruing
from the taking of certain species of migratory waterbirds and of the
environmental, ecological, genetic, scientific, aesthetic, recreational, cultural,
educational, social and economic values of waterbirds in general;
     CONVINCED that any taking of migratory waterbirds must be conducted on
a sustainable basis, taking into account the conservation status of the species
concerned over their entire range as well as their biological characteristics;
                              6-y
 ---pagebreak---       CONSCIOUS that migratory waterbirds are particularly vulnerable because
they migrate over long distances and are dependent on networks of wetlands
that are decreasing in extent and becoming degraded through non-sustainable
human activities, as is expressed in the Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance, especiaHy as Waterfowl Habitat, 1 9 7 1 ;
      RECOGJSJIZING the need to take immediate action to stop the decline-of
migratory waterbird species and their habitats in the geographic area of the
African-Eurasian waterbird migration systems;
     -CONVINCED that the conclusion of a multilateral Agreement and its
implementation     through coordinated or     concerted   action   will contribute
significantly to the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats in the
most efficient manner, and will have ancillary benefits for many other species of
animals and plants; and
      ACKNOWLEDGING that effective implementation of such an Agreement will
require assistance to be provided to some Range States for research, training and
monitoring of migratory waterbird species and their habitats, for the management
of those habitats as well as for the establishment or improvement of scientific
and administrative institutions for the implementation of this Agreement,
      HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
                                     ARTICLE I
                       Scope, Definitions and Interpretation
      1.   The geographic scope of this Agreement is the area of the migration
systems of African-Eurasian waterbirds, as defined in Annex 1 to this Agreement,
                                          s5
 ---pagebreak--- hereafter referred to as the "Agreement Area".
     2.    For the purpose of this Agreement:
     (a)   "Convention" means the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory
           Species of Wild Animals, 1979;
     (b) " "Convention Secretariat" means the body established under Article IX
           of the Convention;
     (c)   "Waterbirds" means those species of birds that are ecologically
           dependent on wetlands for at least part of their annual cycle, have a
           range which lies entirely or partly within the Agreement Area and are
           listed in Annex 2 to this Agreement;
     (d)   "Agreement secretariat" means the body established under Article VI,
           paragraph 7, subparagraph (b), of this Agreement;
     (e)   "Parties" means, unless the context otherwise indicates. Parties to this
           Agreement; and
     (f)   "Parties present and voting" means the Parties present and casting an
           affirmative or negative vote; those abstaining from voting shall hot be
           counted amongst the Parties present and voting.
     In addition, the terms defined in Article I, subparagraphs 1(a) to (k), of the
Convention shall have the same meaning, mutatis mutandis, in this Agreement.
     3.    This Agreement is an AGREEMENT within the meaning of Article IV,
paragraph 3, of the Convention.
     4.    Thé annexes to this Agreement form an integral part thereof.        Any
reference to the Agreement includes a reference to its annexes.
                                          <*
 ---pagebreak---                                       ARTICLE II
                               Fundamental Principles
      1.    Parties shall take co-ordinated measures to maintain migratory
waterbird species in a favourable conservation status or to restore them to such
a status. To this end, they shall apply within the limits of their national
jurisdiction the measures prescribed in Article III, together with the specific
actions determined in the Action Plan provided for in Article IV, of this
Agreement.
      2.    In implementing the measures prescribed in paragraph 1 above, Parties
should take into account the precautionary principle.
                                     ARTICLE III
                            General Conservation Measures
       1.   The Parties shall take measures to conserve migratory waterbirds,
 giving special attention to endangered species as well as to those with an
unfavourable conservation status.
      2.    To this end, the Parties shall:
      (a)   accord the same strict protection for endangered migratory waterbird
            species in the Agreement Area as is provided for under Article III,
            paragraphs 4 and 5, of the Convention;
      (b)   ensure that any use of migratory waterbirds is based on an assessment
            of the best available knowledge of their ecology and is sustainable for
            the species as well as for the ecological systems that support them;
      (c)   identify sites and habitats for migratory waterbirds occurring within
            their   territory  and   encourage   the   protection,   management,
                                              cAO
 ---pagebreak---      rehabilitation and restoration of these sites, in liaison with those bodies
     listed in Article IX, paragraphs (a) and (b) of this            Agreement,
     concerned with habitat conservation;
(d)  coordinate their efforts to ensure that a network of suitable habitats
     is maintained or, where appropriate, re-established throughout the
     entire range of each migratory waterbird species concerned, in
     particular where wetlands extend over the area of more than one Party
     to this Agreement;
(e)  investigate problems that are posed or are likely to be posed by human
     activities and endeavour to implement remedial measures, including
     habitat rehabilitation and restoration, and compensatory measures for
     loss of habitat;
(f)  cooperate in emergency situations requiring international concerted
     action and in identifying the species of migratory waterbirds which are
     the most vulnerable to these situations as well as cooperate in
     developing appropriate emergency procedures to provide increased
     protection to these species in such situations and in the preparation of
    .guidelines to assist individual Parties in tackling these situations;
(g)  prohibit the deliberate introduction of non-native waterbird species into
     the environment and take all appropriate measures to prevent the
     unintentional release of such species if this introduction or release
     would prejudice the conservation status of wild flora and fauna; when
     non-native waterbird species have already been introduced, the Parties
     shall take all appropriate measures to prevent these species from
     becoming a potential threat to indigenous species;
(h)  initiate or support research into the biology and ecology of migratory
     waterbirds including the harmonization of research and monitoring
     methods and, where appropriate, the establishment of joint or
     cooperative research and monitoring programmes;
                                        /n
 ---pagebreak---       (i)  analyze their training requirements for, inter alia, migratory, waterbird
           surveys, monitoring, ringing and wetland management to identify priority
           topics and areas for training and cooperate in the development and
           provision of appropriate training programmes;
      (j)  develop and maintain programmes to raise awareness and understanding
           of migratory waterbird conservation issues in general and of the particular
           objectives and provisions of this Agreement;
      (k)  exchange information and results from research, monitoring, conservation
           and education programmes; and
      (I)  cooperate with a view to assisting each other to implement this
           Agreement, particularly in the areas of research and monitoring.
                                     ARTICLE IV
                      Action Plan and Conservation Guidelines
      1.   An Action Plan is appended as Annex 3 to this Agreement. It specifies
actions which the Parties shall undertake in relation to priority species and issues,
under the following headings, consistent with the general conservation measures
specified in Article HI of this Agreement:
      (a)  species conservation;
      (b)  habitat conservation;
      (c)  management of human activities;
      (d)  research and monitoring;
      (e)  education and information; and
      (f)  implementation.
      2.   The Action Plan shall be reviewed at each ordinary session of the Meeting
of the Parties, taking into account the Conservation Guidelines.
                                      At
 ---pagebreak---       3.   Any amendment to the Action Plan shall be adopted by the Meeting ot
the Parties, taking into consideration the provisions of Article III of this
Agreement.
      4.   The Conservation Guidelines shall be submitted to the Meeting of the
Parties for adoption at its first session, and shall be regularly reviewed.
                                     ARTICLE V
                           Implementation and Financing
      1.   Each Party shall:
      (a)  designate the Authority or Authorities to implement this Agreement -
  , ~      which shall, inter alia, monitor all activities that may have impact on
           the conservation status of those migratory waterbird species of which
           the Party is a Range State;
      (b)  designate a contact point for the other Parties, and communicate
           without delay its name and address to the Agreement secretariat to be
           circulated forthwith to the other Parties; and
      (c)  prepare for each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties,
           beginning with the second session, a report on its implementation of
           the Agreement with particular reference to the conservation measures
           it has undertaken. The format of such reports shall be determined by
           the first session of the Meeting of the Parties and reviewed as may be
           necessary at any subsequent session of the Meeting of the Parties.
            Each report shall be submitted to the Agreement secretariat not less
           than one hundred and twenty days before the ordinary session of the
            Meeting of the Parties for which it has been prepared, and copies shall
            be circulated forthwith to the other Parties by the Agreement
            secretariat.
                                           ^2>
 ---pagebreak---          2.    (a)   Each Party shall contribute to the budget of the Agreement in
               accordance with the United Nations scale of assessment.              The
               contributions shall be restricted to a maximum of 25 per cent of the
               total budget for any Party that is a Range State. No regional economic
               integration organization shall-be required to contribute more than 2.5
               per cent of the administrative costs.
         (b)   Decisions relating to the budget and any changes to the scale of
               assessment that may be found necessary shall be adopted by the
               Meeting of the Parties by consensus.
        3.     The Meeting of the Parties may establish a conservation fund from
voluntary contributions of Parties or from any other source for the purpose of
financing monitoring, research, training and projects relating to the conservation,
including protection and management, of migratory waterbirds.
        4.     Parties are encouraged to provide training and technical and financial
support to other Parties on a multilateral or bilateral basis to assist them in
implementing the provisions of this Agreement.
                                       ARTICLE VI
                                  Meeting of the Parties-
         1.    The Meeting of the Parties shall be the decision-making body of this
Agreement.
         2.    The Depositary shall, in consultation with the Convention Secretariat,
c o n v e n e a session of the Meeting of the Parties not later than one year after the
date of t h e . entry into force of this Agreement. Thereafter, the Agreement
secretariat shall convene, in consultation with the Convention Secretariat,
                                              JH
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                           !
 ordinary sessions of the Meeting of the Parties at intervals of not more than three     i
years, unless the Meeting of the Parties decides otherwise. Where it is possible
to do so, such sessions should be held in conjunction w i t h the ordinary meetings      ;
of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention.                                      .
                                                                                          i
       3.   On the written request of at least one third of the Parties, the             j
Agreement secretariat shall convene an extraordinary session of the Meeting of           \
the Parties.                                            -                            _   |
       4.   The United Nations, its Specialized Agencies, the International Atomic        j
Energy Agency, any State not a Party to the Agreement, and the secretariats of            j
                                                                                           i
                                                                                           i
international conventions concerned inter alia with the conservation, including            j:
protection and management, of migratory waterbirds may be represented by                  |
observers in sessions of the Meeting of the Parties. Any agency or body                " I
                                                                                           i
technically qualified in such conservation matters or in research on migratory
waterbirds may also be represented at sessions of the Meeting of the Parties by
observers, unless at least one third of the Parties present object.
       5.   Only Parties have the right to vote. Each Party shall have one vote, but
regional economic integration organizations which are Parties to this Agreement
shall, in matters within their competence, exercise their right t o vote w i t h a
number of votes equal to the number of their Member States w h i c h are Parties
to the Agreement. A regional economic integration organization shall not exercise
its right to vote if its Member States exercise theirs, and vice    versa.
       6.   Unless provided otherwise in this Agreement, decisions of the Meeting
of the Parties shall be adopted by consensus or, if consensus cannot be
achieved, by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and v o t i n g .
                                           M
 ---pagebreak--- 7.  At its first session, the Meeting of the Parties shall:
(a) adopt its rules of procedure by consensus;
(b) establish an Agreement secretariat within the Convention Secretariat
    to perform the secretariat functions listed in Article VIII of this       j
    Agreement;
(c) establish the Technical Committee provided for in Article VII of this
    Agreement;
(d) adopt a format for the reports to be prepared according to Article V , .
    paragraph 1 , subparagraph (c), of this Agreement; and
(e) adopt criteria to define emergency situations which require urgent
    conservation measures, and determine the modalities for assigning
    responsibility for action to be taken.
8.  A t each af its ordinary sessions, the Meeting of the Parties shall:
(a) consider actual and potential changes in the conservation status of
    migratory waterbirds and the habitats important for their survival, as
    w e l l as the factors which may affect them;
(b) review the progress made and any difficulty encountered in the
    implementation of this Agreement;
(c) adopt a budget and consider any matters relating to the financial
    arrangements for this Agreement;
(d) deal w i t h any matter relating to the Agreement secretariat and the
    membership of the Technical Committee;
(e) adopt a report for communication to the Parties to this Agreement and
    to the Conference of the Parties of the Convention; and
(f) determine the time and venue of the next session.
9.  A t any of its sessions, the Meeting of the Parties may:
(a) make recommendations to the Parties as it deems necessary or appropriate;
                                    A6
 ---pagebreak---      (b) adopt specific actions to improve the effectiveness of this Agreement
         and, as the case may be. emergency measures as provided for in
         Article VII, paragraph 4, of this Agreement;
     (c) consider and decide upon proposals to amend this Agreement;
     (d) amend the Action Plan in accordance w i t h Article IV, paragraph 3, of
         this Agreement;
     (e) establish such subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary to assist in the
         implementation of this Agreement, in particular for coordination w i t h
         bodies established under other international treaties, conventions and
         agreements with overlapping geographic and taxonomic coverage; and
     <f) decide on any other matter relating to the implementation of this
         Agreement.
                                 ARTICLE VII
                             Technical Committee
     1.  The Technical Committee shall comprise:
    (a)  nine experts representing different regions of the Agreement Area, in
         accordance with a balanced geographical distribution;
    (b)  one representative from the International Union for Conservation of
         Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), one from the International
         Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau (IWRB) and one from the
         International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (C1C); and
    (c)  one expert from each of the following fields: rural economics, game
         management, and environmental law.
    The procedure for the appointment of the experts, the term of their
appointment and the procedure for designation of the Chairman of the Technical
                                        ^
 ---pagebreak--- Committee shall be determined by the Meeting of the Parties. The Chairman may
admit    a maximum of       four observers from specialized international      inter-
 governmental and non-governmental organizations.
      2.   Unless the Meeting of the Parties decides otherwise, meetings of the
Technical Committee shall be convened by the Agreement secretariat                 in
conjunction w i t h each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties and at least
once_between ordinary sessions of the Meeting of the Parties.
      3.   The Technical Committee shall:
      (a)  provide scientific and technical advice and information to the Meeting
           of the Parties and, through the Agreement secretariat, to Parties;
      (b)  make recommendations to the Meeting of the Parties concerning the
           Action Plan, implementation of the Agreement and further research t o
           be carried out;
      (c)  prepare for each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties a report
           on its activities, which shall be submitted to the Agreement secretariat
           not less than one hundred and twenty days before the session of the
           Meeting of the Parties, and copies shall be circulated forthwith by the
           Agreement secretariat to the Parties; and
      (d)  carry out any other tasks referred to it by the Meeting of the Parties.
      4.   Where in the opinion of the Technical Committee there has arisen an
emergency w h i c h requires the adoption of immediate measures to            avoid
deterioration of the conservation status of one or more migratory waterbird
species, the Technical Committee may request the Agreement secretariat t o
convene urgently a meeting of the Parties concerned. These Parties shall meet
as soon as possible thereafter to establish rapidly a mechanism to give protection
to the species identified as being subject to particularly adverse threat. Where a
                                           A%
 ---pagebreak--- recommendation has been adopted at such a meeting, the Parties concerned shall
inform each other and the Agreement secretariat of measures they have taken to
implement   it, or of the reasons why the recommendation could not              be
implemented.
     5.   The Technical Committee may establish such w o r k i n g groups as may   ~ i
be necessary to deal with specific tasks.
                                  ARTICLE VIII
                             Agreement Secretariat
     The functions of the Agreement secretariat shall be:
     (a)  to arrange and service the sessions of the Meeting of the Parties as
          well as the meetings of the Technical Committee;
     (b)  to execute the decisions addressed to it by the Meeting of the Parties;
     (c)  to promote and coordinate activities under the Agreement, including
          the Action Plan, in accordance w i t h decisions of the Meeting of the
          Parties;        *                                   _
     (d)  to liaise with non-Party Range States and to facilitate coordination
          between the Parties and with international and national organizations,
          the activities of which are directly or indirectly relevant to the
          conservation, including protection and management, of migratory
          waterbirds;
      (e) to gather and evaluate information w h i c h will further the objectives
          and implementation of the Agreement and to arrange for appropriate
          dissemination of such information;
      (f) to invite the attention of the Meeting of the Parties to matters
           pertaining to the objectives of this Agreement;
                                       A<$
 ---pagebreak--- (g)  to circulate copies of the reports of the Authorities referred to in    j
     Article V, paragraph 1, subparagraph (a), of this Agreement and of the  i
     Technical Committee, along with copies of the reports it must provide
     pursuant to paragraph (h) of this Article, to each Party not less than
     sixty days before the commencement of each ordinary session of the
     Meeting of the Parties;
(h)  to prepare, on an annual basis and for each ordinary session of the
     Meeting of the Parties, reports on the work of the secretariat and on
     the implementation of the Agreement;
(i)  to administer the budget for the Agreement and, if established, its
     conservation fund;
(j)  to provide information for the general public concerning the Agreement
     and its objectives; and
(k)  to perform such other functions as may be entrusted to it under the
     Agreement or by the Meeting of the Parties.
                                   ARTICLE IX
             Relations* with International Bodies dealing w i t h
                   Migratory Waterbirds and their Habitats
The A g r e e m e n t secretariat shall consult:
(a) on a regular basis, the Convention Secretariat and, where appropriate,
    the bodies responsible for the secretariat functions under Agreements
    concluded pursuant to Article IV, paragraphs 3 and 4^ of             the
    Convention which are relevant to migratory waterbirds, the Convention
    on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl
     Habitat, 1 9 7 1 , the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
     Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, 1973, the African Convention on the
     Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 1 9 6 8 , the Convention
                                          <to
 ---pagebreak---              on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. 1 9 7 9 ,
             and the Convention on Biological Diversity, 1 9 9 2 , w i t h a view to the
             Meeting         of the Parties cooperating   with  the   Parties  to  these
             conventions on all matters of common interest and, in particular, in the
             development and implementation of the Action Plan;
     (b)     the secretariats of other pertinent conventions and international
             instruments in respect of matters of c o m m o n interest; and
     (c)     other organizations competent irrthe field of conservation, including
             protection and management, of migratory             waterbirds and     their
             habitats, as well as in the fields of research, education and awareness
             raising.
                                           ARTICLE X
                                 Amendment of the Agreement
     1.      This Agreement may be amended at any ordinary or extraordinary
session of the Meeting of the Parties.
     2.       Proposals for amendment may be made by any Party.
     3.      The text of any proposed amendment and the reasons for it shall be
communicated to the Agreement secretariat not less than one hundred and fifty
days before the opening of the session. The Agreement secretariat shall transmit
copies f o r t h w i t h to the Parties. Any comments on the text by the Parties shall be
communicated to the Agreement secretariat not less than sixty days before the
opening of the session. The Secretariat shall, as soon as possible after the last
day for submission of comments, communicate t o the Parties all comments
submitted by that day.
                                                   StA
 ---pagebreak---        4.   An amendment to the Agreement other than an amendment to its
annexes shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and
voting and shall enter into force for those Parties which have accepted it on the
thirtieth day after the date on which two thirds of the Parties to the Agreement
at the date of the adoption of the amendment have deposited their instruments
of acceptance of the amendment with the Depositary.            For each Party w h i c h
deposits an instrument of acceptance after the date on which t w o thirds of the
Parties have deposited their instruments of acceptance, the amendment shall
enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date on which it deposits its
instrument of acceptance.
       5.  Any additional annexes and any amendment to an annex shall be
adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and voting and shall enter
into force for all Parties on the ninetieth day after the date of its adoption by the
Meeting of the Parties, except for Parties which have entered a reservation in
accordance with paragraph 6 of this Article.
      6.   During the period of ninety days provided for in paragraph 5 of this
Article, any Party may by written notification to the Depositary enter a
reservation w i t h respect to an additional annex or an amendment to an annex.
Such reservation may be withdrawn at any time by written notification to the
Depositary, and thereupon the additional annex or the amendment shall enter into
force for that Party on the thirtieth day after the date of withdrawal of the
reservation.
                                            ^t
 ---pagebreak---                                       ARTICLE XI
                      Effect of this Agreement on International
                             Conventions and Legislation
      1.    The provisions of this Agreement do not affect the rights and
obligations of any Party deriving from existing international treaties, conventions
or agreements. **
      2.    The provisions of this Agreement shall in no way affect the right of any
Party to maintain or adopt stricter measures for the conservation of migratory
waterbirds and their habitats.
                                      ARTICLE XII
                                Settlement of Disputes
      1.    Any dispute which may arise between t w o or more Parties w i t h respect
to the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Agreement shall be
subject to negotiation between the Parties involved in the dispute.
      2.    If the dispute cannot be resolved in accordance w i t h paragraph 1 of
this Article, the Parties may, by mutual consent, submit the dispute to arbitration,
in particular that of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, and t h e
Parties submitting the dispute shall be bound by the arbitral decision.
                                     ARTICLE XIII
             Signature, Ratification, Acceptance, Approval, Accession
      1.    This Agreement shall be open for signature by any Range State,
whether or not areas under its jurisdiction lie within the Agreement Area, or
                                               ^3
 ---pagebreak--- regional economic integration organization, at least one member of which is a
Range State, either by:
         (a)  signature without reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance or
              approval; or
         (b)  signature with reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance or
              approval, followed by ratification, acceptance or approval.
         2.   This Agreement shall remain open for signature at The Hague until the
date of its entry into force.
         3.   This Agreement shall be open for accession by any Range State or
regional economic integration organization mentioned in paragraph 1 above on
and after the date of entry into force of the Agreement.
         4.   Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be
deposited w i t h the Depositary.
                                        ARTICLE XIV
                                      Entry into Force
         1.   This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the third
 n o n t h after at least fourteen Range States or regional economic integration
organizations, comprising at least seven from Africa and seven from Eurasia,
have signed w i t h o u t reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance or approval,
or have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval in
accordance w i t h Article XIII of this Agreement.
          2.  For any Range State or regional economic integration organization
 w h i c h has:
                                                  ^
 ---pagebreak---           (a)    signed without reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance, or
                 approval;
          (b)    ratified, accepted, or approved; or
          (c)    acceded to
                 this Agreement after the date on which the number of Range States
                 and regional economic integration organizations necessary to enable
                 entry into force have signed it without reservation or have ratified,
                 accepted or approved it, this Agreement shall enter into force on the
                 first  day   of  the   third month    following  the  signature   without
                 reservation, or deposit, by that State or organization, of its instrument
                 of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
                                            ARTICLE XV
                                            Reservations
          The     provisions   of  this   Agreement   shall not   be subject   to   general
reservations. However, a specific reservation may be entered by any State or
regional economic integration organization on signature without reservation in
respect of ratification, acceptance or approval or, as the case may be, on
depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession in
respect of any species covered by the Agreement or any specific provision of the
A c t i o n Plan. Such a reservation may be w i t h d r a w n at any time by the State or
regional economic integration organization which had entered it, by notification
in w r i t i n g to the Depositary; such a State or organization shall not be bound by
the provisions which are the object of the reservation until thirty days after the
date on w h i c h the reservation has been w i t h d r a w n .
                                                       #<r
 ---pagebreak---                                         ARTICLE XVI
                                        Denunciation
          Any Party may denounce this Agreement by written notification to the
Depositary at any time. The denunciation shall take effect twelve months after
the date on which the Depositary has received the notification.
                                        ARTICLE XVII
                                         Depositary
          1.    The original of this Agreement, in the Arabic, English, French and
° u s s i a n languages, each version being equally authentic, shall be deposited with
tne Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands which shall be the
Depositary. The Depositary shall transmit certified copies of these versions to all
States and regional economic integration organizations referred to in Article XIII,
paragraph 1 , of this Agreement, and to the Agreement secretariat after it has
been established.
          2.    As soon as this Agreement enters into force, a certified copy thereof
shall be transmitted by the Depositary to the Secretariat of the United Nations for
registration and publication in accordance w i t h Article 102 of the Charter of the
United Nations. _
          3.    The Depositary shall inform all States and regional economic integration
organizations that have signed or acceded to the Agreement, and the Agreement
secretariat, of:
          (a)   any signature;
          (b)   any deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or
                accession;
                                                 ^6
 ---pagebreak---      (c)   the date of entry imo force of this Agreement and of any additional
           annex as well as of any amendment to the Agreement or to its
           annexes;
     (d)   any  reservation with respect to an additional annex or to           an
           amendment to an annex;
     (e)   any notification of withdrawal of a reservation; and
     (f)   any notification of denunciation of the Agreement.
     The Depositary shall transmit to all States and regional economic integration
organizations that have signed or acceded to this Agreement, and to the
Agreement secretariat, the text of any reservation, of any additional annex and
of any amendment to the Agreement or to its annexes.
     In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorized to that effect,
have signed this Agreement.
     Done at The Hague this sixteenth day of June 1995.
                                     rr
 ---pagebreak---                                           Annex 1
                                                                                      j
                                                                                      i
                             Definition of the Agreement Area                       . i
         The boundary of the Agreement area is defined as follows: from the North
Pole south along the 130°W line of longitude t o 75°N; thence east and southeast
t h r o u g h Viscount Melville Sound, Prince Regent Inlet, the Gulf of Boothia, Foxe
Basin, Foxe Channel and Hudson Strait to a point in the northwest Atlantic at
6 0 ° N , 60°W; thence southeast through the northwest Atlantic to a point at 50°N,
3 0 ° W ; thence south along the 30°W line of longitude to 10°N; thence southeast
"> the Equator at 20°W; thence south along the 20°W line of longitude to 40°S;
thence east along the 40°S line of latitude to 6fJ°E; thence north along the 60°E
line of longitude to 35°N; thence east-northeast on a great circle to a point in the
w e s t e r n Altai at 49°N, 87°27'E; thence northeast on a great circle to the coast
of the Arctic Ocean at 130°E; thence north along the 130°E line of longitude to
the North Pole. The outline of the Agreement Area is illustrated on the following
map.
                                                #          .                            M
 ---pagebreak---           Annex la: Map of the Agreement Area
ISO* 160»  170e 180e 170*  160*  ISO*
                                                           11404
                                                            70* .
                                           40* 50' 60* 70»
                          ofS
 ---pagebreak---                                      Annex 2
                Waterbird Species to which this Agreement Applies
GAVIIDAE
Gavia Stella ta                           Red-throated Diver
Gavia árctica                             Black-throated Diver
G avia immer                              Great Northern Diver
Gavia adamsii                            White-billed Diver
PODICIPED1DAE
Podiceps    grisegena                     Red-necked Grebe
  Ddiceps   auritus                       Slavonian Grebe
PELECANIDAE
Pefecanus     onocrotafus                 Great White Pelican
Pelecanus    crispus                      Dalmatian Pelican
PHALACROCORACIDAE
Phalacrocorax      pygmaeus               Pygmy Cormorant
Phalacrocorax      nigrogularis           Socotra Cormorant
ARDE1DAE
Egret ta vinaceigula                      Slaty Egret
Ardea purpurea                            Purple Heron
 Zasmerodius a/bus                        Great Egret
Ardeola idae                              Madagascar Pond-Heron
Ardeola    rufiventris                    Rufous-bellied Heron
Ixobrychus     minutus                    Little Bittern
Ixobrychus     sturmii                    Dwarf Bittern
Bo ta urus ste/laris                      Great Bittern
CICONHDAE
Mycteria ibis                             Yellow-billed Stork
 Ciconia nigra                            Black Stork
 Ciconia episcopus                        Woolly-necked Stork
 Ciconia ciconia                          White Stork
                                          •50
 ---pagebreak--- THRESKIORNITHIDAE
Plegadis falcinellus               Glossy Ibis
Geronticus      eremita            Waldrapp
 Threskrornis      aethiopicus     Sacred Ibis
Plata lea leucorodia               Eurasian Spoonbill
Plata lea alba                     African Spoonbill
PHOENICOPTERIDAE
Phoenicopterus        ruber        Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus        minor        Lesser Flamingo
ANAT1DAE
Dendrocygna         bicolor        Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna vidua ta               White-faced Whistling-Duck
Tha/assornis       leuconotus      White-backed Duck
Oxyura      leucocephala           White-headed Duck
Cygnus olor                        Mute Swan
Cygnus cygnus                      Whooper Swan
Cygnus       columbianus           Bewick's Swan
Anser      brachyrhynchus          Pink-footed Goose
An ser fa balis                    Bean Goose
Anser albifrons                    Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser     erythropus               Lesser White-fronted Goose
Anser anser                        Greylag Goose
Bran ta feucopsis                  Barnacle Goose
Bran ta be m ici a                 Brent Goose
Bran ta ruficollis                 Red-breasted Goose
A lop o chen aegyptiacus           Egyptian Goose
Tadorna ferruginea                 Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna cana                       South African Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna                    Common Shelduck
Plectropterus       gambensis      Spur-winged Goose
Sarkidiornis     melanotos         Comb Duck
Nettapus      auritus              African Pygmy-goose
Anas penelope                      Eurasian Wigeon
Anas strepera                      Gadwall
Anas crecca                        Common Teal
Anas capensis                      Cape Teal
Anas      platyrhynchos            Mallard
Anas undulata                      Yellow-billed Duck
                               3-4
 ---pagebreak--- Anas acuta                            Northern Pintail
Anas      erythrorhyncha              Red-billed Duck
Anas hot ten to ta                    Hottentot Teal
Anas     querquedula                  Garganey
Anas clypeata                         Northern Shoveler
Marmaronetta         angustirostris   Marbled Teal
Net ta ru fina                        Red-crested Pochard
Net ta     erythrophthalma            Southern Pochard
Ay thy a ferina                       Common Pochard
Ay thy a nyroca                       Ferruginous Pochard
Ay thy a fuligula                     Tufted Duck
Ay thy a mari I a                     Greater Scaup
So ma teria mollissima                Common Eider
Somateria      spectabilis            King Eider
Polysticta    stelleri                Steller's Eider
Clangula hyemalis                     Long-tailed Duck
Melanina nigra                        Common Scoter
Melanina fusca                        Velvet Scoter
Bucepha/a clangula                    Common Goldeneye
Mergellus albellus                    Smew
M erg us serra tor                    Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus merganser                      Goosander
GRUIDAE
Grus leucogeranus                     Siberian Crane
Grus virgo                            Demoiselle Crane
Grus paradisea                        Blue Crane
Grus carunculatus                     Wattled Crane
Grus grus                             Common Crane
RALLIDAE
Sarothrura bo eh mi                   Streaky-breasted Flufftail
Porzana parva                         Little Crake
Porzana pusilla                       Baillon's Crake
Porzana porzana                       Spotted Crake
Aenigmatolimnas        margin a lis   Striped Crake
Fulica atra (Black Sea/Mediterranean) Common Coot
DROMADIDAE
Dromas      ardeola                   Crab Plover
                                      òt
 ---pagebreak---                                                      HO
RECURV1ROSTRIDAE
Himantopus himantopus        Black-winged Stilt
Recurvirostra avosetta       Pied Avocet
GLAREOLIDAE
Glareola pratincola          Collared Pratincole
Glareola nordmanni           Black-winged Pratincole
CHARADRIIDAE
Pluvialis apricaria          Eurasian Golden Plover
Pluviajis squatarola         Grey Plover
Charadrius hiaticula         Common Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubius            Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius pecuarius         Kittlitz's Plover
Charadrius tricollaris       Three-banded Plover
Charadrius forbesi           Forbes' Plover
Charadrius pallidus          Chestnut-banded Plover
Charadrius alexandrinus      Kentish Plover
Charadrius margina tus       White-fronted Plover
Charadrius mongolus          Mongolian Plover
Charadrius leschenaultii     Greater Sandplover
Charadrius asiaticus         Caspian Plover
Eudromias morinellus         Eurasian Dotterel
Vanellus vanellus            Northern Lapwing
Vanellus spinosus            Spur-winged Plover
Vanellus a/biceps            White-headed Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus          Senegal Lapwing
Vanellus lugubris            Wattled Lapwing
Vanellus melanopterus        Black-winged Lapwing
Vanellus corona tus          Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus superciliosus       Brown-chested Lapwing
Vanellus gregarius           Sociable Plover
Vanellus leucurus            White-tailed Plover
SCOLOPACIDAE
Gallinago media              Great Snipe
Gallinago gallinago          Common Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimus         Jack Snipe
Limosa fimosa                 Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponica              Bar-tailed Godwit
                         3?,
 ---pagebreak---                                                         L,r
Numenius phaeopus               Whimbrel
Numenius       tenuirostris     Slender-billed Curlew
Numenius arqua ta               Eurasian Curlew
Tringa erythropus               Spotted Redshank
Tringa totanus                  Common Redshank
Tringa stagnatilis              Marsh Sandpiper
Tringa nebularia                Common Greenshank
Tringa ochropus                 Green_ Sandpiper
Tringa glareola                 Wood Sandpiper
Tringa cinerea                  Terek Sandpiper
Tringa hypoleucos               Common Sandpiper
Arenaria inter près             Ruddy Turnstone
Calidris    tenuirostris        Great Knot
Calidris canutus                Red Knot
Calidris alba                   Sanderling
Calidris minuta                 Little Stint
Calidris    temminckii          Temminck's Stint
Calidris marítima               Purple Sandpiper
Calidris alpina                 Dunlin
Calidris ferruginea             Curlew Sandpiper
Limicola     falcinellus        Broad-billed Sandpiper
Philomachus       pugnax        Ruff
Phalaropus lobatus              Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus fulicaria            Grey Phalarope
LARIDAE
Larus    leucopthalmus          White-eyed Gull
Larus hemp rich ii              Sooty Gull
Larus audouinii                 Audouin's Gull
Larus armenicus                 Armenian Gull
Larus    ichthyaetus            Great Black-headed Gull
Larus genei                     Slender-billed Gull
Larus    melanocephalus         Mediterranean Gull
Sterna nilotica                 Gull-billed Tern
Sterna caspia                   Caspian Tern
Sterna maxima                   Royal Tern
Sterna bengalensis              Lesser Crested Tern
Sterna bergii                   Great Crested Tern
Sterna     sandvicensis         Sandwich Tern
Sterna dougallii                Roseate Tern
Sterna hirundo                  Common Tern
Sterna paradisaea               Arctic Tern
Sterna afbifrons                Little Tern
                            3<f
 ---pagebreak--- Sterna    saundersi       Saunders' Tern
Sterna    balaenarum      Damara Tern
Sterna repressa           White-cheeked Tern
Chlidonias    leucopterus White-winged Tern
Chlidonias niger          Black Tern
                          3<r
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                                  •ft
                                                Annex 3
                                            A C T I O N PLAN
1.    Field of Application
1.1   The Action Plan is applicable to the populations of migratory waterbirds listed in
      Table 1 to this Annex (hereafter referred to as Table 1").
1.2   Table 1 forms an integral .part of this Annex. Any reference to this Action Plan
      includes a reference to Table 1.                                                  -
2.    Species Conservation
2.1   Legal measures
2.1.1 Parties with populations listed in column A of Table 1 shall provide protection to
      those populations listed in accordance with Article III, paragraph 2(a), of this
      Agreement. Such Parties shall in particular and subject to paragraph 2.1.3 below:
      (a)    prohibit the taking of birds and eggs of those populations occurring in their
             territory;
      (b)    prohibit deliberate disturbance in so far as such disturbance would be
             significant for the conservation of the population concerned; and
      (c)    prohibit the possession or utilization of, and trade in, birds or eggs of those
             populations which have been taken in contravention of the prohibitions laid
             down pursuant to subparagraph (a) above, as well as the possession or
             utilization of, and trade in, any readily recognizable parts or derivatives of such
             birds and their eggs.
      By way of exception for those populations listed in Categories 2 and 3 in Column
      A only and which are marked by an asterisk, hunting may continue on a sustainable
      use basis where hunting of such populations is a long-established cultural practice.
      This sustainable use shall be conducted within the framework of special provisions
      of a species action plan at the appropriate international level.
2.1.2 Parties with populations listed in Table 1 shall regulate the taking of birds and eggs
      of all populations listed in column B of Table 1. The object of such legal measures
      Shall be to maintain or contribute to the restoration of those populations to a
      favourable conservation status and to ensure, on the basis of the best available
      knowledge of population dynamics, that any taking or other use is sustainable.
      Such legal measures, subject to paragraph 2.1.3 below, shall in particular.
      (a)    prohibit the taking of birds belonging to the populations concerned during their
             various stages of reproduction and rearing and during their return to their
                                               36
 ---pagebreak---             breeding grounds if the taking has an unfavourable impact on the conservation
            status of the population concerned;
      (b)   regulate the modes of taking;
      (c)   establish limits on taking, where appropriate, and provide adequate controls
            to ensure that these limits are observed; and
      (d)   prohibit the possession or utilization of, and trade in, birds and eggs of the
        .   populations which have been taken in contravention of any prohibition laid
            down pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, as well as the possession
            or utilization of, and trade in, any parts of such birds and their.eggs.
2.1.3 Parties may grant exemptions to the prohibitions laid down in paragraphs 2.1.1 and
      2.1.2, irrespective of the provisions of Article III, paragraph 5, of the Convention,
      where there is no other satisfactory solution, for the following purposes:
      (a)   to prevent serious damage to crops, water and fisheries;
      (b)   in the interests of air safety or other overriding public interests;
      (c)   for the purpose of research and education, of re-establishment and for the
            breeding necessary for these purposes;
      (d)   to permit under strictly supervised conditions, on a selective basis and to a
            limited extent, the taking and.keçping or other judicious use of certain birds in
            small numbers; and
      (e)   for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the populations
            concerned.
      Such exemptions shall be precise as to content and limited in space and time and
      shall not operate to the detriment of the populations listed in Table 1. Parties shall
      as soon as possible inform the Agreement secretariat of any exemptions granted
      pursuant to this provision.
2.2   Single Species Action Plans
2.2.1 Parties shall cooperate with a view to developing and implementing intemational
      single species action plans for populations listed in Category 1 of Column A of Table
      1 as a priority and for those populations listed with an asterisk in Column A of Table
      1. The Agreement secretariat shall coordinate the development, harmonization and
      implementation of such plans.
2.2.2  Parties shall prepare and implement national single species action plans for the
       populations listed in Column A of Table 1 with a view to improving their overall
       conservation status. This action plan shall include special provisions for those
       populations marked with an asterisk. When appropriate, the problem of accidental
                                       ^
 ---pagebreak---       killing of birds by hunters as a result of incorrect identification of the species should
      be considered.
2.3   Emergency Measures
      Parties shall, in close cooperation with each other whenever possible and relevant,
      develop and implement emergency measures for populations listed in Table 1, when
      exceptionally unfavourable or endangering conditions occur anywhere in the
      Agreement Area.
2.4   Re-establishments
      Parties shall exercise the greatest care when re-establishing populations listed in
      Table 1 into parts of their traditional range where they no longer exist. They shall
      endeavour to develop and follow a detailed re-establishment plan based on
      appropriate scientific studies. Re-establishment plans should constitute an integral
      part of national and, where appropriate, intemational single species action plans.
      A re-establishment plan should include assessment of the impact on the
      environment and shall be made widely available. Parties shall inform the
      Agreement secretariat, in advance, of all re-establishment programmes for
      populations listed in Table 1.
2.5   Introductions
2.5.1 Parties shall, if they consider it necessary, prohibit the introduction of non-native
      species of animals and plants which may be detrimental to the populations listed in
      Table 1.
2.5.2 Parties shall, if they consider it necessary, require the taking of appropriate
      precautions to avoid the accidental escape of captive birds belonging to non-native
      species.
2.5.3 Parties shall take measures to the extent feasible and appropriate, including taking,
      to ensure that when non-native species or hybrids thereof have already been
      introduced into their territory, those species or their hybrids do not pose a potential
      hazard to the populations listed in Table 1.
3.    Habitat Conservation
3.1   Habitat Inventories
3.1.1 Parties, in liaison where appropriate with competent intemational organizations, shall
      undertake and publish national inventories of the habitats within their territory which
      are important to the populations listed in Table 1.
3.1.2 Parties shall endeavour, as a matter of priority, to identify all sites of international
                                            ts
 ---pagebreak---        or national importance for populations listed in Table 1
3.2    Conservation of Areas
3.2.1  Parties shall endeavour to continue establishing protected areas to conserve
       habitats important for the populations listed in Table 1, and to develop and
       implement management plans for these areas.
3.2.2  Parties shall endeavour to give special protection to those wetlands which meet
       internationally accepted criteria of international importance.
3.2.3  Parties shall endeavour to make wise and sustainable use of all of the wetlands in
      their territory. In particular they shall endeavour to avoid degradation and loss of
       habitats that support populations listed in Table 1 through the introduction of
       appropriate regulations or standards and control measures. In particular, they shall
      endeavour to:
       (a)   ensure, where practicable, that adequate statutory controls are in place,
             relating to the use of agricultural chemicals, pest control procedures and the
             disposal of waste water, which are in accordance with intemational norms, for"
             the purpose of minimizing their adverse impacts on the populations listed in
             Table 1; and
      (b)    prepare and distribute information materials, in the appropriate languages,
             describing such regulations, standards and control measures in force and their
             benefits to people and wildlife.
3.2.4 Parties shall endeavour to develop strategies, according to an ecosystem approach,
      for the conservation of the habitats of all populations listed in Table 1, including the
      habitats of those populations that are dispersed.
3.3   Rehabilitation and Restoration
      Parties shall endeavour to rehabilitate or restore, where feasible and appropriate,
      areas which were previously important for the populations listed in Table 1.
4.    Management of Human Activities
4.1   Hunting
4.1.1 Parties shall cooperate to ensure that their hunting legislation implements the
      principle of sustainable use as envisaged in this Action Plan, taking into account the
      full geographical range of the waterbird populations concerned and their life history
      characteristics.
4.1.2 The Agreement secretariat shall be kept informed by the Parties of their legislation
      relating to the hunting of populations listed in Table 1.
                                              ^5
 ---pagebreak---  4.1.3   Parties shall cooperate with a view to developing a reliable and harmonized system
         for the collection of harvest data in order to assess the annual harvest of
         populations listed in Table 1. They shall provide the Agreement secretariat with
         estimates of the total annual take for each population, when available.
 4.1.4   Parties shall endeavour to phase out the use of lead shot for hunting in wetlands
         by the year 2000.
 4.1.5   Parties shall develop and implement measures to reduce, and as far as possible
         eliminate, the use of poisoned baits.
-4.1.6   Parties shall develop and implement measures to reduce, and as far as possible
         eliminate, illegal taking.
 4.1.7   Where appropriate, Parties shall encourage hunters, at local, national and
         intemational levels, to form clubs or organizations to coordinate their activities and
         to help ensure sustainability.
 4.1.8   Parties shall, where appropriate, promote the requirement of a proficiency test for
         hunters, including among other things, bird identification.
 4.2     Eco-tourism
 4.2.1   Parties shall encourage, where appropriate but not in the case of core zones of
         protected areas, the elaboration of cooperative programmes between all concerned
         to develop sensitive and appropriate eco-tourism at wetlands holding concentrations
       - of populations listed in Table 1.
 4.2.2   Parties, in cooperation with competent intemational organisations, shall endeavour
         to evaluate the costs, benefits and other consequences that can result from eco-
         tourism at selected wetlands with concentrations of populations listed in Table T.
         They shall communicate the results of any such evaluations to the Agreement
         secretariat.
 4.3     Other Human Activities
 4.3.1   Parties shall assess the impact of proposed projects which are likely to lead to
         conflicts between populations listed in Table 1 that are in the areas referred to in
         paragraph 3.2 and human interests, and shall make the results of the assessment
         publicly available.
 4.3.2   Parties shall endeavour to gather information on the damage, in particular to crops,
         caused by populations listed in Table 1, and report the results to the Agreement
         secretariat.
 4.3.3   Parties shall cooperate with a view to identifying appropriate techniques to minimize
         damage, or to mitigate the effects of damage, in particular to crops, caused by
         populations listed in Table 1, drawing on the experience gained elsewhere in the
         world.
                                            i/O
 ---pagebreak--- 4.3.4 Parties shall cooperate with a view to developing single species action plans for
      populations which cause significant damage, in particular to crops. The Agreement
      secretariat shall coordinate the development and harmonization of such plans.
4.3.5 Parties shall, as far as possible, promote high environmental standards in the
      planning and construction of structures to minimize their impact on populations listed
      in Table 1. They should consider steps to minimize the impact of structures already
      in existence where it becomes evident that they constitute a negative impact for the
      populations concerned.            . ~
4.3.6 In cases where human disturbance threatens the conservation status-of waterbird
      populations listed in Table 1, Parties should endeavour to take measures to limit the
      level of threat. Appropriate measures might include, inter alia, the establishment of
      disturbance-free zones in protected areas where public access is not permitted.
5.    Research and Monitoring
5.1   Parties shall endeavour to carry out survey work in poorly known areas, which may
      hold important concentrations of the populations listed in Table 1. The results of
      such surveys shall be disseminated widely.
5.2   Parties shall endeavour to monitor the populations listed in Table 1. The results of
      such monitoring shall be published or sent to appropriate international organizations,
      to enable reviews of population status and trends.
5.3   Parties shall" cooperate to improve the measurement of bird population trends as a
      criterion for describing the status of such populations.
5.4   Parties shall cooperate with a view to determining the migration routes of all
      populations listed in Tabfe 1, using available knowledge of breeding and non-
      breeding season distributions and census results, and by participating in coordinated
      ringing programmes.
5.5   Parties shall endeavour to initiate and support joint research projects into the
      ecology and population dynamics of populations listed in Table 1 and their habitats,
      in order to determine their specific requirements as well as the techniques which are
      the most appropriate for their conservation and management.
5.6   Parties shall endeavour to undertake studies on the effects of wetland loss and
      degradation and disturbance on the carrying capacity of wetlands used by the
      populations listed in Table 1 and on the migration patterns of such populations
5.7   Parties shall endeavour to undertake studies on the impact of hunting and trade on
      the populations listed in Table '1 and on the importance of these forms of utilization
      to the local and national economy.
5.8    Parties shall endeavour to cooperate with relevant international organisations and
       to support research and monitoring projects.
                                         liA
 ---pagebreak--- 1 5 . «19 _ 9 5 _ F R I   1U : 46 FAI - 4 9 226 8Ô43ÕUU       ^ ^  cm6 d
          6.            Education and Information
          6.1           Parties shall, whe-e necessary, arrange for training programmes to ensure that
                        personnel responsible for the implementation of this Action Plan have an adequate
                        knowledge to implement it effectively.
          6.2           Parties shall cooperate with each other and the Agreement secretariat with a view
                        to developing training programmes and exchanging resource materials.
          6.3           Parties shall endeavour to develop programmes, information materials and
                        mechanisms to improve the level of awareness of the general public with regard to
                        the objectives, previsions and contents of this Action Plan. In this regard, particular
                        attention shall be given to those people living in and around important wetlands, to
                        users of these wetlands (hunters, fishermen, tourists, etc.) and to local authorities
                        and other decision makers.
          6.4           Parties shall endeavour to undertake specific public awareness campaigns for the
                        conservation of the populations listed in Table 1.
          7.            Implementation
          7.1           When implementing this Action Plan, Parties shall, when appropriate, give priority
                        to those populations listed in Column A of Table 1.
          7.2           Where, in the case of populations listed in Table 1, more than one population of the
                        same species occurs on the territory of a Party, that Party shall apply conservation
                        measures appropriate to the population or populations that have the poorest
                        conservation status.
          7.3           The Agreement secretariat in coordination with the Technical Committee and with
                        the assistance oi experts from Range States, shall coordinate the development of
                        conservation guidelines in accordance with Article IV, paragraph 4, of this
                        Agreement to assist the Parties in the implementation of this Action Plan. The
                        Agreement secretariat shall ensure, where possible, coherence with guidelines
                        approved under other intemational instruments. These conservation guidelines shall
                        aim at introducing the principle of sustainable use. They shall cover, inter alia: •
                        (a)      single species action plans;
                        (b)      emergency measures;
                        (c)      preparation of site inventories and habitat management methods;
                        (d)      hunting practices;
                         (e)     trade in waterbirds;
                         (f)     tounsm;
                         (g)     reducing cop damage; and
                         (h)     a waterbird monitoring protocol.
          7.4            The Agreement secretariat, in coordination with the Technical Committee and the
                         Parties, shall prepare a series of international reviews necessary for the
                                                              n
 ---pagebreak---     implementation o"' this Action Plan, including:
    (a)    reports on the status and trends of populations;
    (b)    gaps in information from surveys;
    (c)    the networks of sites used by each population, including reviews of the
           protection status of each site as well as of the management measures taken
           in each cas<3;
    (d) pertinent hunting and trade legislation in each country relating to the species
       " listed in Annex 2 to this Agreement;
    (e) the stage of preparation and implementation of single species action plans;
    (f) re-establish*nent projects; and
    (g) the status of introduced non-native waterbird species and hybrids thereof.
7.5 The Agreement seaetariat shall endeavour to ensure that the reviews mentioned
    in paragraph 7.4 are updated at intervals of not more than three years.
7.6 The Technical Committee shall assess the guidelines and reviews prepared under
    paragraphs 7.3 and 7.4, and shall formulate draft recommendations and resolutions
    relating to their development, content and implementation for consideration at
    sessions of the Meeting of the Parties.
7.7 The Agreement secretariat shall regularly undertake a review of potential
    mechanisms for Droviding additional resources (funds and technical assistance) for
    the implementation of this Action Plan, and shall make a report to each ordinary
    session of the Meeting of the Parties.
                               Mi
 ---pagebreak---                                            Table 1
             STATUS OF THE POPULATIONS OF MIGRATORY WATERBIRDS
KEY TO CLASSIFICATION
The following key to Table 1 is a basis for implementation of the Action Plan:
Column A
Category 1:       (a) Species which are included in Appendix I to the Convention;
                  (b) Species which are listed as threatened in the 1994 IUCN Red List of
                      Threatened Animals (Groombridge 1993); or
                  (c) Populations which number less than around 10,000 individuals.
Category 2:       Populations numbering between around 10,000 and around 25,000
individuals.
Category 3:      Populations numbering between around 25,000 and around 100,000
                 individuals and considered to be at risk as a result of:
                 (a) concentration onto a small number of sites at any stage of their annual
                      cyde;
                 (b) dependence on a habitat type which is under severe threat;
                 (c) showing significant long-term decline; or
                 (d) showing extreme fluctuations in population size or trend.
For species listed in Categories 2 and 3, above, see paragraph 2.1.1 of this Annex.
Column B
Category 1:      Populations numbering between around 25,000 and around 100,000
                 individuals and which do not fulfil the conditions in respect of Column A, as
                 described above.
Category 2:      Populations numbering more than around 100,000 individuals and
                 considered to be in need of special attention as a result of:
                 (a) concentration onto a small number of sites at any stage of their annual
                      cycle;
                 (b) dependence on a habitat type which is under severe threat;
                 (c) showing significant long-term decline; or
                 (d) showing large fluctuations in population size or trend.
                                           i\H
 ---pagebreak--- Column C
Category 1:      Populations numbering more than around 100,000 individuals which could
                 significantly benefit from international cooperation and which do not fulfil the
                 conditions in respect of either Column A or B, above.
REVIEW OF JABLE 1
This Table shall be:
(a)   reviewed regularly by the Technical Committee in accordance with Article VII.
      paragraph 3(b). of this Agreement; and
(b)   amended as necessary by the Meeting of the Parties, in accordance with Article VI,
      paragraph 9(d) of this Agreement, in light of the conclusions of such reviews.
KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS
Pre:  breeding
win:  wintering
N:    Northern
6:    Eastern
S:    Southern
W:    Western
NE:   Northeastern
NW:   Northwestern
SE:   Southeastern
SW:   Southwestern
1
 :    Population status unknown. Conservation status estimated.
•:    See paragraph 2.1.1
NOTES
1.    The population data used to compile Table 1 as far as possible corresponds to the
      number of individuals in the potential breeding stock in the Agreement Area. The
      status is based on the best available published population estimates.
2.    Suffixes (bre) or (win) in population listings are solely aids to population identification.
      They do not indicate seasonal restrictions to actions in respect of these populations
      under this Agreement and Action Plan.
                                   tf
 ---pagebreak---                                                   B
My&crim ibis
Eotrf» population
Ciconia nigra
W Afiica/W Europe                             le
Ccstral/E Europe (bre)
Ciconia epùccpus
Tropical Africa (C. e. microscelia)
Ciconia ciconia
% Africa (C. c. ciconia)                      le
KW Afric*/W Europe (bre) (C. c. oieonia)      3b
Central/E Europe (bre) ( C e. ciconia)            2c
W Asia (bre) ( C c. ciconia)                  3b
Plegadis falcineUus
Subaabaraa Africa (P. f. falcinelluï)
W Africa/Europe (?• f. fklcinellm)
E Africa/SW Asia (P. f. ialdflelluî)
Gerontieus eremita
Morocco                                       la
SW Aiia                                        la
Tkreskhmis aethiopicus
SubuhirtQ Africa (T. a. aethiopicus)
Iraq/Iran (T. a. aethiopicus)                  le
PlataLea Uucorodia
E Allante (P. 1. Icucorodia)                   le
Central/SE Europe (bre) (P. 1. Icucorodia)
Re4 Sc« (P. 1. areberi)                        le
SW/S Alia (win) (P. 1. major)
Platalea alba
Entire population
Dendrocygna bicolor
Africa
Dendrocygna viduata
Africa
                                           Ht
 ---pagebreak---                                                  B
 Thalassomts Uuconctus
E/S Africa (T. i. Icucouoois)
W Africa (T. i. Icucoootui)                le
Oxyura Icucocephala
W Mediterranean                            la
E MediterrancanAV Asia                     la
Cygnus olor
NW Europe
BUck Sea (win)
Caspian Sea (win)                             2a&2d
Cygnus cygnus
Iceland (bre)
KW Europe (win)
Black Sea (win)
W Asia (win)
Cygnus columbianus
Europe (win) (C. c. bewickii)
Caspian Sea (win) (C. c. bewickii)         Ic
Anser bnchyrhynehus
Iceland (bre)                                   2a
Svalbaxd (bre)
Anser/abolies
W Taiça (bre) (A. f. fabalis)
W Tundra (bre) (A. f. roiaicus)
Anser albifrons
KW Europe (win) (A. a. albiCroas)
Central Europe (win) (A. a. albifront)          2c
Black Sea (win) (A. a. aibifrons)
Caspian Sea (win) (A. I. albifroci*)
Greenland (bre) (A. a. flavirostrii)      3a
Anser erythropus
Black Sea/Caspian Sea (win)                lb
A nser anser
Iceland (bre) (A. a. artier)
                                       ^y
 ---pagebreak---                                              A       B   c
N Europe/W Mediterranean (A. a. anser)                   1
Central Europe/N Africa (A. a. anser)        2 •
Black Sea (win) (A. a. anser)                         1  -
W Siberia/Caspian Sea (A. a. anser)      - -          I
Branta leucopsis
Greenland (bre)                                       i
Svalbard (bre)                                2              -
Russia (bre)                                             1
Branla kemicla
Siberia (bre) (B. b. bemicla)                        2b    -
Sv»lbard (bre) (B. b. hrott)                  le
Ireland (win) (B. b. hrota)                   2
Branta ruficollis
Entire population                             lb
Alapochen oégypriacus
Entire population                                        r
Tadorna fermginee
W Mediterranean                               1c
E Mediterranean/Black Sea                     2
SW Asia                                               I
Tadorna cana
Entire population '                                   1
Tadorna tadorna
NW Europe                                            2a
W Mediterranean                                2
Black Sea                                             1
Caspian Sea                                           1
Piectropterus gambensis
W Africa (P. g. gambensis)                                i
S Africa (P. g. oiger)                                 1
Sartidiomis melanotos
Africa (S. m. melanotos)                                 ï1
Kettepus aufxtus
W Africa                                       Ic ""
                                       ^
 ---pagebreak---  S/E Africa
Anas penelope
KW Europe (win)
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win)                         2c
SW Asia (win)                                         2c
Anas strtpera
KW Europe (win) (A. s. strepera)
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) (A s. strepera)
SW Asia (win) (A. s. strepera)
Anas crecca
NW Europe (win) (A. c. crecca)
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) (A. c. crecca)
SW Asia (win) (A. c. crecca)                          2c
Anas capensis
Entire population
A nas platyrhynckos
NW Europe (win) (A. p. platyrbynchos)
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win)                         2c
(A. p. platyrhytichoi)
SW Asia (win) (A. p. platyrbynclios)
Anas undulate
S Africa (A. u. undulata)
Anas acuta
W Africa (win)
KW Europe (win)
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win)                         2c
SW Asi«/B Africa (win)
Anas erytkrorkyncha
S/E Africa
A nas kottenlota
W Africa                                         lc 1
S/E Africa
Anas guerquedula
W Africa (win)
                                              M4
 ---pagebreak---                                              A     B    c
E Africa/Asia (win)                                     1
Anas dypeata
KW Europe (win)                                    l
W Mediterranean (win)                             2a
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win)                           1
SW Asia (win)                                           1  *
                 —
Marmaronetta angusárostrts
W Mediterranean                              lb
£ Mediterranean                              lb
SW Asia                                      lb
Netta ru/ina
SW/Central Europe                            2*
SE Europe                                    3c
SW Asia                                                 1
fietta erytkrophthalma
S/E Africa (N. e, brunnea)                  • • 1     1 ,
A y thy a ferina               g^^
NW Europe (win)            ^^R                    2c
Black Sea/Mediterranean (winT                     2c
SW Asia (win)                                     2c'
Ay thy a nyroca
Africa (win)                                 lc
Europe (win)                                 3c
SW Asia                                      lc
Aythya fuligula
NW Europe (win)                 ^ ^                     1
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win)                           1
SW Asia (win)                                           1
Aythya mania
£ Atlantic (win) (A. m. mania)                          1
Black Sea/Caspian Sea (win) (A m. mania)           I
Somateria mollissinta
 Europe (S. m. mollissima)                               I
   "      "
 Somateria spectobUis
                                         ^o
 ---pagebreak--- NE Europe
Pofysticta stetleri
NE Europe (win)'
Clangula hy entalis
Iceland/Greenland (bre)                               2c
KW Europe (win)
Caspian S«a (win)                                le
Melanixta nigra
NW Europe (win) (M. ft. nigra)                       n
MelanUta fusca
KW Europe (win) (M. f fusca)                         2a
Black Sea/Caspian Sea (win) (M. f. fusca)        le
Bucephala clangula
KW Europe (win) (B. c. clangula)
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) (î c. clangula)
Caspian Sea (win) (B. c clanguli)
Mergellus albeUus
KW Europe (win)                                  3a
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win)
SW Asia (win)                                       • 1
Mergus serrutor
NW Europe (win) (M. s. senator)
Black S«*/Mediterranean (win) (Ni s. senator)
SW Asia (win) (M. s senator)                     le
Mergus merganser
NW Europe (win) (M. m. merganser)
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win)                    le
(M. m. merganser)
SW Asia (win) (M. m merganser)
                                              SA
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                              A'A
                                      DECLARATIONS
                             DECLARATION OF BELGIUM
The Belgian delegation is particularly pleased with the fact that the representatives of the
Range States have successfully concluded their work and will thus be able to sign the
Final Act of the Negotiation Conference.
The Draft Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds
covers questions for which the Regions are mostly, but not exclusively, competent under
the Belgian Constitution and Law. Insofar as they are competent, the Regions are able to
commit themselves on matters governed by international law. Furthermore, they are duly
represented within the Belgian delegation.
If the Agreement is signed by Belgium, the Belgian Government will ensure that the said
competence of the Regions to commit themselves on international matters is formalized in
the appropriate manner.
                             DECLARATION OF DENMARK
The Danish delegation wishes to draw attention to the fact that there still remain some
outstanding problems concerning a few species in Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The
Danish Government will try to solve these questions in collaboration with the Greenland
Home Rule and the Faroese Home Rule in order that no reservations or declarations
concerning single species will be necessary for the whole or parts of the territory of
Denmark at the time of the Danish ratification, acceptance or approval of the Agreement.
Our acceptance to adopt the text of the Agreement should be seen in this light.
                              DECLARATION OF FRANCE
France would like to remind the Meeting of its wish to integrate, in the light of the
knowledge available, population evolution trends which are an essential source of
information for determining the intensity of hunting that is compatible with the principle
of sustainable use. Such integration would be an enrichment of the content of the Action
Plan.
                           DECLARATION OF SWITZERLAND
Following the modification of the operative part of Table 1 of the Action Plan, which
introduces the additional possibility of continuing to take species that enjoy strict
protection in accordance with Article III, paragraph 2(a), of the Agreement, the Swiss
delegate made a statement to the following effect:
                                       9L
 ---pagebreak--- This proposition reveals a certain lack of logic in the categorization of populations,
because it mixes protected species and species that may be hunted. In addition, the
provisions of the Agreement and of the Action Plan will be applied differently by Parries,
since the exceptional taking of these species shall only take place "where hunting is a
traditional cultural activity".
Consequently, this provision contravenes the desired harmonization of the provisions and
will make it harder to implement the Agreement.
Finally, it is unfortunate that in a brand new Agreement it should be necessary to consider
exceptions to the general norms on top of the usual general waiver provisions that already
appear in the Agreement and the Convention.
The Swiss delegation nevertheless sides with the general feeling of the meeting and will
not oppose the acceptance of the proposed text in order not to jeopardize the chances of
success of the proposed Agreement.
(The Hague, 15 June 1995; Raymond Pierre Lebeau)
                                DECLARATION OF ZIMBABWE
Mr. Chairman, Dear Ministers, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and
Gentlemen,
On behalf of the African Ministers for Environment and other heads of delegations from
Africa, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Dutch Government for the warm
welcome accorded to the delegations since their arrival a few days ago. I also wish to
thank the host Government for the wonderful facilities that have been put at our disposal
during the conference to ensure its success.
Mr. Chairman, I also take this opportunity to thank the Secretariat of the Bonn Convention
and the officials of the Dutch Government who have put a lot of efforts in organising this
meeting from the beginning to its successful completion. This meeting, as we all know,
started from a humble beginning and is now reaching its maturity stage. The commitment
of the Range States from Africa to have this Agreement on the Conservation of African-
Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds concluded is well demonstrated by the high level
representation and large of number of delegates present during this meeting.
Mr. Chairman, the delegates present here have negotiated an agreement involving very
delicate species of our biological diversity, I say delicate species, because the migratory
waterbirds do change their habitats at given intervals and it is during these changes that
they face greatest dangers in their migratory patterns. This Agreement will enlighten the
 intemational community and in particular the parties to this agreement, on issues related to
 the protection, conservation and sustainable use of the migratory waterbirds.
 Mr. Chairman, this agreement once it becomes operational, will require a number of things
 to be done. One such thing is the collection of proper and representative data of the
                                         ^2>
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                               Ao
 migratory waterbirds from all the member states to this agreement. Mr. Chairman, it is
 clear that such data is not readily available in Africa and it is my sincere hope that the
 African countries will be assisted to carry out researches on migratory waterbirds in order
 to update the existing data. Mr. Chairman, Africa is a home to various species of
 waterbirds which have co-existed with different communities for centuries. These
 communities deserve to be congratulated for their sustainable use of these waterbirds.
 Mr. Chairman, since the conclusion of the Rio Summit in June 1992, a number of-
 conventions have been signed to protect the. environment One such convention which is
 related to mis agreement is the convention on biological diversity. I am happy to note that
 this agreement is being negotiated under the auspices of Bonn Convention which will co-
 locate the secretariat of the agreement. Mr. Chairman, we are equally happy and grateful
 to the Dutch Government for their offer to host the interim secretariat for three years and
 to host the first Meeting of the Parties once the agreement comes into force.
 Mr. Chairman, it is well known that Africa and other countries of the South provide over
 80% of the biological diversity. It is therefore very important that the South is fully
 involved in all matters related to biological diversity. Countries of the South are ready to
play their rightful role in such matters, as in mis agreement. As I have indicated above
that the South provides 80% of all biological diversity. Mr. Chairman, Africa will continue
to preserve, conserve and protect its biological diversity for the benefit of present and
future generations.
Mr. Chairman, once again allow me to profoundly thank the Dutch Government for all it
is doing in various fields of environment protection. Thank you.
(Presented to AEWA 16/06/95 at The Hague by Chen Chimuntengwende, MP and Minister
of Environment and Tourism of Zimbabwe)
           JOINT DECLARATION OF ETHIOPIA, NAMIBIA, SOUTH AFRICA,
               SUDAN, SWAZILAND, UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA,
                                  ZAMBIA AND ZIMBABWE
Controlled hunting is regarded as potentially beneficial to the conservation of species and
sustainable human development in many rural areas in Africa. Hunting and other forms of
sustainable use provide revenue which is in turn re-invested in conservation of the
respective species and in rural development.
The provisions of paragraphs 2.2.1. and 2.2.2. of the Action Plan are therefore not
interpreted as a prohibition of controlled hunting if there is no reason to suspect that such
hunting would be detrimental to the conservation of any species.
                                              ^
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                  ISSN 0257-9553
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