Migratory birds and their habitat in Australia and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) will be protected under the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of Australia on the Protection of Migratory Birds which was signed on 6 December at Parliament House, Canberra.
The agreement, also known as the Republic of Korea – Australia Migratory Bird Agreement or ROKAMBA, was signed by the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Hon. Alexander Downer MP, and his Korean counterpart, Mr Song Min Soon, during a visit to Australia by the President of the Republic of Korea, His Excellency Mr Roh Moo-Hyun. President Roh and the Australian Prime Minister, the Hon. John Howard MP, attended the signing ceremony.
The agreement complements Australia's migratory bird agreements with Japan (the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement or JAMBA) and China (the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement or CAMBA). Together these agreements provide for bilateral cooperation with the countries responsible for key staging areas for migratory shorebirds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. The agreements also give a strong foundation for the conservation efforts of the recently launched East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership.
The text of the ROKAMBA is similar to the JAMBA and CAMBA agreements, requiring protection of migratory birds from take or trade, exchange of research information and publications, formulation of joint awareness raising activities, and participation in flyway cooperative activities. It includes a list of migratory birds, all of which are also included in JAMBA and/or CAMBA.
The signing marks the end of a four year negotiation on the agreement. It will now go through the formal treaty-making process in the Australian Parliament. The treaty-making process in Korea is already completed. The ROKAMBA is expected to enter into force in mid 2007.
The text of the agreement and annex of migratory birds will soon be available on the migratory waterbirds page on the Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage website.