Coral Triangle Local Government Leaders Push for Regional Engagement

On December 6, 2012, local government leaders from Coral Triangle member countries—Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, and Solomon Islands—gathered in Manila, Philippines, and signed a declaration advocating for stronger and more direct engagement with the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) and its bodies, including the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat and National Coordinating Committees.

Faced with growing and shared challenges such as climate change impacts, destructive fishing practices, and pollution, the local leaders expressed their urgency and commitment to work with national and regional counterparts, as well as with each other, to implement the Regional and National Plans of Action of CTI-CFF. The signing, which capped a four-day CTI Local Governance Network Forum held from December 3-6, 2012, builds on a series of important regional efforts to strengthen the role of local governments in marine and coastal governance. The Philippines League of Municipalities, which hosted the event in collaboration with the Philippine Government and USAID’s US CTI Support Program, has committed to serve as the home of the Local Governance Network for a period of two years to ensure its institutionalization and sustainability.

Caption: From L-R: Premier Paul Jackson Kiloe, Premier George Solingi Lilo, Mayor Eutiquio Bernales, Mayor Pedro Trinidad, Mayor Juan Sanchez, Mayor Melchor Nacario, Hon. John Micah, Ms. Ferdinanda Louhenapessy, Bupati Dr. I Nyoman Sutjidra, and Bupati Hugua. Credit: US CTI

Follow this link to see more photos from the CTI Local Government Forum on the US CTI Support Program Facebook page.

Download a copy of the CTI LGN Manila Declaration here.