Avian ‘flu was a major focus of the third meeting of the Parties to the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds Agreement (AEWA).

Held from 23-27 October 2005, in Dakar, Senegal, the meeting concluded with an urgent call for improved national contingency planning, and for better information on risk assessment and necessary responses. The meeting also adopted resolutions on a range of other topics, including: amendments to the annexes; an international partnership for support of waterbird population assessments; a strategic plan and a communication strategy; single species action plans; institutional issues and the budget; climate change in relation to migratory waterbirds; and implementation of the Addis Ababa principles on sustainable use of the Convention on Biological Diversity. With 51 Contracting Parties as of October 2005, the Agreement, developed under the Convention on Migratory Species, covers 235 species of birds ecologically dependent on wetlands for at least part of their annual cycle.
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Meeting coverage