CTI-CFF Develops Roadmap to Finalize Region-wide Monitoring and Evaluation System

 Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) member countries agreed to a target of September 2012 to finalize a region-wide monitoring and evaluation system at the first formal meeting of the CTI Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group (MEWG), held on April 25–28, 2012, in Manila, Philippines. The MEWG, meeting for the first time since March 2009, reviewed over thirty indicators to track progress toward marine and coastal conservation goals outlined in the CTI Regional Plan of Action and link these with economic development and food security.

The indicators included targets to improve fisheries management, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and develop a region-wide Marine Protected Area System. These indicators will be further refined by other CTI technical working groups and submitted for adoption at the 8th CTI Senior Officials Meeting in October 2012, along with an MEWG work and financial plan. The MEWG also incorporated the outcomes of the State of the Coral Triangle Report into its monitoring and evaluation processes.

The finalization and implementation of the CTI monitoring and evaluation system is critical to tracking progress in the CTI. USAID's US CTI Support Program facilitated the working group meeting in collaboration with the Philippine CTI National Coordinating Committee and the Asian Development Bank.

Caption: CTI MEWG members discuss indicators and evaluation procedures
Credit: A.Sia/USCTI Support Program