the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Technical Working Group Online Meeting

The recent Marine Protected Area (MPA) Technical Working Group (TWG) online meeting began with the introduction of five new members to the Regional Secretariat (RS): Dr. Frank Keith Griffin, Mr. Hanung Cahyono, Mr. Agostinho Irmawan, Mr. Dave Senewe, and Ms. Christel Amarillo. The RS reintroduced the RPOA 2.0, shared updates on 2023 country reports, and presented new monitoring and evaluation templates. Countries appreciated these updates and committed to providing the necessary data.

The RS discussed the upcoming 3rd Round Nomination of the CTMPAS and emphasized the need for timely reviewer panel availability. The SOM-18 decisions were presented, with countries confirming their actions regarding the IUCN event in Bangkok.

For 2024, Indonesia proposed holding the MPA TWG meeting and Regional Exchange in June in Manado, alongside the Coral Triangle Day celebration, which was supported by other member countries. The RS also suggested recognizing well-managed MPAs from the CT6 countries.

During the prioritization session, countries outlined their priority programs for the next three to five years, focusing on MPA expansion, management effectiveness, and capacity building. The RS reminded members about the upcoming IUCN Conference in April and introduced USAID–Sustainable Coral Triangle (SCT), which received positive feedback from the participants.

The meeting concluded with closing remarks from the MPA TWG Chair representative and the Regional Secretariat.