CTI-CFF MEWG Chair acknowledges CT6 ownership of the draft RPOA 2.0

Press Release

CTI-CFF MEWG Chair Acknowledged CT6 Ownership of the Draft RPOA 2.0

Manila, Philippines – 11 August 2020 – Undersecretary Atty. Juan Miguel T. Cuna, Chair of the Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group (MEWG) of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF), and the Philippines’ representative to the CTI-CFF Committee of Senior Officials (CSO), acknowledged the CT6 Member Countries’ ownership of the draft Regional Plan of Action (RPOA 2.0) during the recently concluded online MEWG meeting, held back-to-back with the RPOA 2.0 writeshop.

The MEWG reviewed and deliberated on the plan, which sets the CTI-CFF vision and goals for the next 10 years to protect the economic and environmental assets of the Coral Triangle region, the global epicenter of marine life, abundance, and biodiversity.

“I would say the CT6 countries have taken ownership of the RPOA, ensuring the interest of the CT6 governments for food security and the protection of this unique and biodiversity-rich Coral Triangle Region,” USec. Cuna said. He added that the CT6 Member Countries need to sit down and come up with S-M-A-R-T ideas to guide the next chapter of member country collaboration in the region.

USec. Cuna also acknowledged the support of CTI-CFF’s Strategic Partners for their unwavering support and renewed commitment. He said, “Moving forward, it is in the best interest of both the CTI-CFF member parties and our strategic partners that this regional cooperation achieves financial sustainability, as we seek to maintain both the health of ecosystems to provide goods and services and the health of the people as we battle crises like the current pandemic.”

He urged members of the MEWG to continue informing their respective country leaders about the progress made in the Coral Triangle region to secure official commitment for the RPOA 2.0.

Dr. Mohd Kushairi Mohd Rajuddin, Executive Director of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat, stated that the Secretariat will provide necessary support to CT6 Member Countries during the COVID-19 situation to ensure the completion of the RPOA 2.0, developing a common regional position and perspectives toward addressing marine conservation, food security, and climate change in the Coral Triangle region.

The MEWG is set to meet again virtually in the first week of September 2020 to continue the refinement and finalization of the draft RPOA 2.0. The meeting is organized by the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat.

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About CTI-CFF

The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) is a multilateral partnership of six countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste (CT6). The CT6 countries work together to sustain extraordinary marine and coastal resources by addressing crucial issues such as food security, climate change, and marine biodiversity. The CTI-CFF was formally established during the Leaders’ Summit in 2009 with the approval of the CT6 leaders. They adopted the CTI Regional Plan of Action (CTI RPOA), a strategic action plan with five goals: (1) designation of effectively managed seascapes; (2) application of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management; (3) establishment of a fully functional marine protected area system; (4) strengthening climate change adaptation and resilience; and (5) improving the status of threatened marine species.

About Regional Secretariat

The Regional Secretariat (RS) of the CTI-CFF is mandated to promote regional cooperation, knowledge sharing, and learning within the six member countries of the Coral Triangle. The RS coordinates and monitors the implementation of the RPOA goals, supports official meetings and events linked to the CTI-CFF process, and provides cross-cutting services for monitoring and evaluation, financial coordination, information management, and outreach. It also supports and coordinates with National Coordinating Committees (NCCs), advises the CTI-CSO on emerging priorities, and fosters networking among Parties, CTI Partners, organizations, and donors. The Regional Secretariat is based in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Media Contact

Janet Rosalie Anne H. Polita
Communication & Information Manager
CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat
www.coraltriangleinitiative.org
Email: jpolita@cticff.org or regional.secretariat@cticff.org