Edinburgh, 20 January 2014 - International experts on birds of prey will convene today in Edinburgh, Scotland, to review conservation priorities within the framework of a UN agreement on migratory raptors in Africa and Eurasia. It is the First Meeting of the Technical Advisory Group to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MOU) and will be held over four days.

International experts on birds of prey will convene today in Edinburgh, Scotland, to review conservation priorities within the framework of a UN agreement on migratory raptors in Africa and Eurasia.

During the period of 31 October–2 November 2013, in the framework of the LIFE Project ”Conservation of Aquila Pomarina in Romania,” funded by the European Commission and the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, more than 50 ornithologists from 16 European countries attended an international Workshop in Romania to update the European Action Plan for the Conservation of the Lesser Spotted Eagle.

The First Meeting of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG1) to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MOU) will be held on 20-23 January 2014 in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.

International experts have taken a major step towards developing a comprehensive plan for the recovery of the endangered Saker Falcon. Over 70 representatives from different governments, nature conservation authorities and NGOs throughout the range of the species participated at the Saker Falcon Task Force - Stakeholders’ Action Planning Meeting held 9 - 11 September in Abu Dhabi. They elaborated the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) Global Action Plan which covers the conservation threats, challenges they face and the roles and responsibilities for the next steps.

Sweden has signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MOU), which was concluded in 2008 under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). Peter Örn, Desk Officer at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency signed the Raptors MOU on behalf of the Swedish Minister of Environment Lena Ek, today at the UN Premises in Bonn, Germany.

For the first time, 100 representatives from almost 50 countries came together to discuss urgent actions to step up international conservation efforts for threatened raptor species. Niger and Somalia both signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU), established under the auspices of the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species. This brings the total number of Signatories to 42.