About This Event

Background 

The CTI-CFF Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) was designed to leverage and coordinate action and investment across this vast expanse of ocean space. Goal 1 of the RPOA is “’Priority Seascapes’ Designated and Effectively Managed.” This Goal directs CTI-CFF countries to prioritize large-scale geographies for investment and action and expand the use of best practices in these areas. Under this Goal, the first target includes ‘Priority Seascapes Designated, with Investment Plans Completed and Sequenced’. The Sulu Sulawesi Seascape was the first and only Priority Seascape already endorsed.  

Seascapes are areas in which the management and conservation of natural resources can coexist to provide a pathway towards sustainable economic development. The integrative nature of seascapes allows for the pursuit of a multitude of commitments, targets and goals to improve ecological and socio-economic well-being. A range of planning tools can be utilized to pursue seascapes. Investment in achieving the elements of seascapes will help the CTI countries meet both international and national level commitments and targets.

During the SOM 13 held in Manila on November 2017, one of the Seascapes related decisions endorsed was the decision “Support the continued progress of the Lesser Sunda and the Bismarck Solomon Sea Ecoregion (BSSE) towards “priority seascape” nomination”. This recommendation was also included in the Work Plan of the Seascapes Working Group 2018.  

Following up the SOM 13 decision, a multilateral meeting was held at Jakarta on 20 April 2018 in order to continue the nomination progress of the Lesser Sunda and BSSE as Priority Seascapes. Setting the target of endorsing and adopting the Lesser Sunda and Bismarck Solomon Seas Ecoregion as Priority Seascapes in the upcoming SOM 14 this year, there are several steps need to be fulfilled to meet the procedures for trans-boundary Priority Seascapes designation, as suggested  in the document of Seascapes General Model and Regional Framework for Priority Seascapes.  

Another Seascapes related decisions during the SOM 13 was “Task the Seascapes Working Group to finalize the Updated Rules of  Procedure in time for SOM 14”. This document is essential to play as a guidance for decision making process within the Sescapes Working Group in the future.   

In addition, the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape Convergence Meeting held in Cebu - Philippines on July 2018 highlighted another concern on the needs of creating sub-regional working groups under the structure of Seascapes Working Group for each of the priority seascape, namely Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape, also Lesser Sunda and BSSE once adopted at the SOM14.  

Organizers/Host of Events

1. Indonesian Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs
2. Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries 

List of Attendees

1. NCCs and SWG Parties from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste,
2. Regional Secretariat of CTI-CFF
3. Embassy of Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands in Jakarta
4. Development partners & collaborators