Ministers of the six Coral Triangle Countries Adopt Agreement Establishing Permanent Secretariat

The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) entered a critical new phase on October 28, 2011, when ministers from the six Coral Triangle countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste – officially adopted agreements establishing the permanent Regional Secretariat of the CTI-CFF at the third CTI-CFF Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia. The six countries also endorsed other key decisions, including the CTI-CFF Secretariat Transition Roadmap, which outlines, among other things, the recruitment of Secretariat staff and the initiation of country contributions within a 12-month period.

The countries elected Malaysia as Chair and Papua New Guinea as Vice Chair of the CTI-CFF Council of Ministers for a two-year term from November 20, 2011, to November 19, 2013. They also agreed to extend the mandate of the Jakarta-based CTI-CFF Interim Secretariat until the permanent Secretariat becomes fully operational. These achievements mark a significant turning point for the CTI-CFF and are the culmination of extensive efforts by the six Coral Triangle countries and development partners, including the Asian Development Bank, the Government of Australia, Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and the US Agency for International Development.