United for a Decade of Conservation Action #ForCoral

“The six Coral Triangle countries are calling on the wider community to protect our important but threatened marine resources for global food security,” said H.E. Simo Kilepa (MP), Minister of Environment, Conservation, and Climate Change of Papua New Guinea, during the COP15 UN Convention on Biodiversity side event on 14 December 2022 in Montreal.

H.E. Kilepa delivered his remarks at the event ‘United for a Decade of Conservation Action #ForCoral,’ co-organized by the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat along with other international coral reef governments and NGOs, including the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP), Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR), the Government of Monaco, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Conservation Finance Alliance Washington, and Vulcan. The event took place at the InterContinental Hotel, Montreal, Canada. The Minister of Maldives and authorities from Montreal, Quebec, were also present. The Executive Director of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat, Dr. Mohd Kushairi Bin Mohd Rajuddin, attended the event as well.

“We all understand how crucial the marine resources in the Coral Triangle are. I believe the ongoing work by the Regional Secretariat and CTI-CFF, particularly the establishment of the Regional Conservation Trust Fund, will support biodiversity conservation and the sustainability of Coral Triangle resources,” said H.E. Kilepa to close his speech.

The opening of the event was officiated by Hon. Monica Medina, Assistant Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, Washington D.C. Also in attendance were representatives from CT countries, including Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, as well as the SPREP organization.