CTI-CFF Interim Regional Secretariat's New Year 2014 Message

Distinguished Friends and Colleagues,

As 2013 draws to a close, I sit in my office and take a moment to salute you—members and partners of the Coral Triangle Initiative for Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF)—for your continued commitment to our mission and for the trust you have placed in the CTI-CFF Interim Regional Secretariat (IRS) to provide coordination and support for the implementation of regional activities.

Despite the challenges encountered throughout the year, we have achieved considerable positive results, confirming that 2013 has been another remarkable year for all of us.

The first quarter of the year saw the near completion of the new CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat Building and CTI Centre in Manado, covering 6,084 square meters. We also developed a concrete roadmap and resolution to address the negative impacts of the live reef fish trade in the Coral Triangle region.

During the 3rd CT Regional Business Forum, we initiated efforts to engage the private sector in creating innovative business solutions that are both economically profitable and environmentally sustainable. In the following months, we were delighted to hear that the Malaysian Government had ratified the Agreement on the Establishment of the CTI Regional Secretariat. This agreement, made among the six CTI member countries, formalizes governance structures, financial resources, and a series of actions to facilitate the transition to a permanent CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat.

We finalized a framework for the Coral Triangle Marine Protected Areas System (CTMPAS), setting the stage for nominations of regional flagship sites. Additionally, we established a regional process for monitoring and evaluating CTI-CFF actions and priorities, including guidelines for data collection, analysis, and reporting under the Regional Plan of Action (RPOA).

The Seascape Working Group developed a roadmap of activities and reviewed ongoing large-scale marine planning efforts in the Coral Triangle to ensure that priority seascapes are designated and effectively managed.

Our regional reputation was further promoted when the six member countries of the Southwest Pacific Dialogue (SwPD) endorsed CTI-CFF's critical role in sustaining the region’s marine resources and supporting the economic well-being of its people.

On June 9, 2013, more than 30,000 people across nearly 100 locations in all six CTI countries participated in 62 events to mark Coral Triangle Day. These activities—including beach clean-ups, artistic performances, educational exhibitions, and turtle tagging—raised public awareness of marine resource conservation and fisheries issues.

We successfully conducted the 2nd CTI-CFF Regional Priorities Workshop (RPW-2) in August to review progress on the 2010 Regional Priority Actions and National Plan of Action implementation, and to develop plans and teams for executing proposed 2013 Regional Priority Actions.

During the 9th Senior Officials Meeting (SOM-9) on November 9, we agreed on several critical issues, including the establishment of an Appointments Committee for hiring the Executive Director of the permanent Regional Secretariat, expansion of CTI-CFF membership and partnerships, Brunei-Darussalam’s expression of interest to join CTI-CFF, the Coral Triangle Center’s recognition as an official CTI partner, and cooperation arrangements with SEAFDEC and the FAO.

These achievements set the stage for future plans, targets, and opportunities in 2014 and beyond. Our “to-do list” is still extensive, but I am confident that your cooperation will help us accomplish these goals. At SOM-9 in Manila, we committed to recruiting a Regional Secretariat Director, finalizing ratification of the Regional Secretariat Establishment Agreement, and operationalizing the permanent Regional Secretariat by May 2014 through the Special SOM and the 5th CTI-CFF Ministerial Meeting. We also plan to establish an independent Threatened Species Working Group, finalize the Financial Architecture, form the Regional Business Advisory Council, admit new members and partners, and formalize cooperation with other organizations.

I am confident and optimistic about the future. Thank you again for your trust, and I look forward to even greater success in 2014. As we close another year of achievements, challenges, and lessons learned, I wish you a peaceful and safe festive season. May 2014 bring more wonderful opportunities for all of us!

Dr. SUDIRMAN SAAD
Chairman, Interim CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat
Director General of Marine, Coastal and Small Island Affairs
Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Republic of Indonesia