Parliament moves to safeguard migratory water birds

The Chamber of deputies, last week passed a bill authorizing the accession of an agreement on the conservation of African-Eurasian migratory water birds (AEWA).The committee on foreign affairs, cooperation and security, had presented its final report on the bill, including two amendments by the Senate.According to the deputy chairperson of the committee, MP Julienne Uwacu, Senators included the Ramsar International Convention of February 2, 1971 on Wetlands of International importance, and the International Convention on Biological Diversity and its Habitat signed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 5, 1992.The bill also conforms to the Bonn Convention of June 23, 1979 on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) of Wild Animals which was ratified in 2003, and the organic law of 2005 determining the modalities of protection, conservation and promotion of environment in Rwanda.According to the AEWA website, the agreement is the largest of its kind developed so far under the CMS.AEWA covers 255 species of birds ecologically dependent on wetlands for at least part of their annual cycle, from the northern reaches of Canada and the Russian Federation, to the southernmost tip of Africa.The Agreement provides for coordinated and concerted action to be taken by the range states throughout the migration system of water birds to which it applies. Parties to the Agreement are called upon to engage in a wide range of conservation actions which are described in a comprehensive Action Plan. This detailed plan addresses such key issues as: species and habitat conservation, management of human activities, research and monitoring, education and information, and implementation.Birding is an important element of Rwanda’s tourism sector and tourists flock to national parks such as Akagera National Park and Nyungwe National Park.Wetland habitat loss and degradation is a significant threat to migratory water birds, and the conservation of important sites is essential to their survival. Many pressures including population growth and economic development, are contributing to this degradation.