FRWG Meeting in Cebu Cultivated Fruitful Discourse and Strategic Decisions

FRWG Meeting in Cebu Cultivated Fruitful Discourse and Strategic Decisions

The Financial Resources Working Group (FRWG) of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) meeting convened in Cebu, Philippines, on March 19, 2024. This marked a significant milestone as it was the first in-person meeting held after the Covid-19 pandemic. Hosted at the Dusit Thani Hotel, the gathering brought together CT 6 country members to strategize and collaborate on obtaining financial supports to achieving the goals of marine conservation in the Coral Triangle.

Dr. Frank Keith Griffin, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Regional Secretariat, presided over the opening of the meeting. In his remarks, Dr. Griffin emphasized the critical roles of FRWG in providing the much-needed strategic leadership in the development, implementation and sustainability of financial resources of the Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) 2.0 and other relevant programs. FRWG provides the guidance in engaging and establishing relationships with external funding institutions for the implementation of the RPOA, the National Plan of Action (NPOA) and other relevant programs.

Alongside, the newly appointed Deputy Executive Director for Corporate Services Mr. Hanung Cahyono was introduced, signifying a fresh leadership in the management of the CTI-CFF. The other Regional Secretariat team members participated were Deputy Executive Director for Program Service Mr. Christovel R.S. Rotinsulu, Finance and Operation Manager Mrs. Reita Kalalo, and Communication and Information Manager Mrs. Dewi Satriani.

Under the chairmanship of Mr. Marcial C. Amaro Jr. from the Philippines, the meeting was congregated to discuss critical agenda items by representatives from the CT 6 Countries. Indonesian Delegation was led by Mr. Witjaksono Adji, the Papua New Guinea was represented by Mr Junior Hasu, the Philippines Delegation was led by Mr. John Erick Avelino, and the Solomon Islands was represented by Ms. Ronelle Panda. Attending virtually were Malaysia, represented by Mr. Moh. Redzuan, and Timor-Leste, represented by Ms. Alda Sousa De La Rosa. , and The partners from Asian Development Bank (ADB), Coral Triangle Centre (CTC), WWF Coral Triangle Program and USAID Sustainable Fisheries of Asia (USAID SuFiA) also joined virtually and gave updates on the work that they have been doing. 

The agenda encompassed updates on decisions outlined in the Chair’s Summary of the 18th Senior Officials Meeting (SOM-18), progress reports on various projects run by the Regional Secretariat, and discussions on potential funding opportunities.

The newly appointed CEO of the Coral Triangle Conservation Fund (CTCF), Dr. Yang Mee Eng provided updates on the development of the trust fund, demonstrating a commitment to strengthening financial mechanisms to support the implementation of RPOA 2.0. Additionally, the Regional Secretariat shared insights into the Grant Management Manual, emphasizing best practices for managing grants within the CTI-CFF framework, both as grantee and grantor.

A highlight of the meeting was the presentation by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on the potential funding from the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF). This presentation underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in securing financial resources to support conservation and sustainable development initiatives in the Coral Triangle region.

As discussions unfolded, the meeting attendees reached consensus on several key actions. These included finalizing audit activities for the financial year 2023, coordinating participation in the Our Ocean Conference 2024 to support fundraising efforts, and exploring opportunities to secure funding through the GBFF by submitting Project Preparation Grant (PPG) proposals at national and regional levels.

Appreciation was extended to the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) of the Philippines for their exceptional support in the meeting arrangement. In conclusion, the FRWG meeting in Cebu served as a pivotal moment in the collective journey towards sustainable development in the Coral Triangle.