MOU Signing Between CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat and GIZ

The Regional Secretariat of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) has formalized collaborations with Germany to work together in managing the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape across three CTI-CFF member countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. This partnership was marked today by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is implementing the German contribution to the program.

The Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape program, aligned with the CTI-CFF Regional Plan of Action (RPOA), will focus primarily on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM), and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) planning until mid-2018.

CTI-CFF will integrate the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape program with existing and future initiatives conducted alongside other partners, including SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme), SEAFDEC (Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center), and USAID RDMA (United States Agency for International Development, Regional Development Mission Asia) through the Oceans and Fisheries Partnership program.

Widi A. Pratikto, Executive Director of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat, stated: “The program activities in the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape will focus on improving the quality of life and livelihoods of the people, while ensuring environmental conservation.”

The Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape program is a continuation of the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion (SSME), which was launched in 2012 and concluded in February 2016. The program is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building, and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) and implemented by GIZ. The CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat will manage the program in collaboration with National Coordinating Committees (NCCs), including the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, as well as relevant organizations and governmental institutions in each country.

The Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape, at the heart of the Coral Triangle, spans nearly one million square kilometers across Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Home to 35 million people, it is recognized as a global center of marine biodiversity, hosting the highest diversity of colorful reef and marine fishes, various coral species, shells, algae, and protective mangrove forests.