Such are the hailing words Colonel Abdoulaye Ndiaye, an expert associate with Wetlands International, has used to express his gratitude this Thursday, November 26th, 2015 in Dakar. The winner 2015 AEWA Conservation Award visited the Africa regional office of the organization to present the prestigious distinction awarded to him in Bonn, Germany, on 09th November. Abdoulaye Ndiaye expressed his pride of being a staff and now an associate to Wetlands International which has given him everything.
Emotion, pride and satisfaction, are the feelings that invaded Colonel Abdoulaye Ndiaye today in the premises of Wetlands International Africa office. Colonel Ndiaye, as he is fondly called, is a passionate of birds. As an expert and current associate with Wetlands International where he worked for over 15 years and retired senior personnel of the National Parks Directorate (DPN) in Senegal, he was full of praise for the organization. He presented to his Dakar base colleagues, on Thursday, November 26th his well-deserved award by the Agreement on the Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds African-Eurasian (AEWA) in 2015 in the individual category for his contribution in the management of wetlands and monitoring waterbirds in Africa and in the world.
Colonel Ndiaye said ” Wetlands International has given everything to me. Wetlands International is the wonderful family where I learned a lot. This is where I completed my knowledge and skills. I loved the birds when I was director of Djoudj National Park (PNOD) in the early 90s and this is where my ornithologist training has really improved, ” said Col. Ndiaye.
The winners of this year’s AEWA Award, specially thanked and pay tribute to Mr. Ibrahima Thiam, the regional director of Wetlands International and all his staff. ” That is why I proudly decided to dedicate the prime scoop of my award to Wetlands International before any other authority after my return from Bonn ” he added.
The regional director of the organization said Wetlands International is doubly honored through Colonel Ndiaye’s award. ” In addition to Abdoulaye, another partner organization, the AIV Ndiaël, was recognized by AEWA in the institutional category for its efforts on ecological and ornithological monitoring and wetland restoration in the special reserve of birds of Ndiaël . We can say that 2015 is a good year for us in terms of international recognition of our actions, ” Mr. Thiam added.
The 2015 AEWA awards were presented to the winners on 09th November in Bonn, Germany, on the occasion of the 6th Triennial Meeting of the Parties (MOP6).