Monitoring and Evaluation Learning Exchange and Training in Papua New Guinea

Monitoring and Evaluation Learning Exchange and Training in Papua New Guinea

The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) hosted a significant event from 15–17 July 2024, at The Stanley Hotel & Suites in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Supported by the PNG National Coordinating Committee (NCC) and various partners, the three-day event aimed to foster regional cooperation, enhance technical capacities, and align national conservation efforts with regional goals.

The event included the annual Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group (MEWG) meeting, a Coral Triangle Atlas Training, and a National Plan of Action (NPOA) Learning Exchange Workshop.

The meeting commenced with a warm welcome from the host, Papua New Guinea NCC, Chair of the MEWG, followed by opening remarks from Dr. Frank Keith Griffin, Executive Director of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat. He recognized the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to meet partners and colleagues in person.

Distinguished guests included H.E. Mr. Ariz Severino Convalecer, Chargé d’Affaires of the Philippines Embassy; H.E. Hamizan bin Hashim, High Commissioner of Malaysia; Mr. Melvin Cheah Chee Aun, Counsellor; and representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.

Dr. Griffin highlighted the Coral Triangle region’s critical role in global marine life sustainability. Discussions focused on implementing the Regional Plan of Action 2021–2030, with a midterm review scheduled for 2025. A key announcement was made regarding a 20-million-euro project funded by the German Government to enhance regional monitoring and evaluation efforts.

During the CT Atlas training session, Paulina Gerstner from the Allen Coral Atlas program guided participants in using the Atlas tool to support coral reef conservation. Participants learned how to use the polygon tool to extract statistics and assess potential coral restoration sites.

Paulina also presented habitat map validation results and encouraged participants to report inaccuracies for future updates. Training on the CT Atlas platform covered creating accounts, downloading data, and using data manipulation features to monitor threats such as bleaching and turbidity.

Mr. Agostinho Andy Irmawan led a discussion on Regional Planning and Development Goals (RPOA 2.0) for 2025 and 2030, focusing on sustainable communities and ecosystems, and the need for increased resources. The M&E team presented data on coral reef, mangrove, and seagrass coverage across Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and discussed integrating additional country information into the CT Atlas platform.

Collaborative learning and development were emphasized, highlighting sustainable and inclusive economic and environmental growth. Representatives discussed the need for political support and the busy agenda planned for 2024 and 2025.

Presentations from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands showcased marine conservation efforts, including mangrove forest management and marine protected areas (MPAs). Updates on national marine conservation strategies emphasized stakeholder engagement and the importance of updated data.

Discussions led by Mr. Anjum Islam from USAID Sustainable Coral Triangle (SCT) addressed improvements to the CT Atlas platform by resolving inaccurate data, naming errors, and synchronization issues. USAID SCT will support platform updates and the standardization of data attributes.

Mr. Solomon Sundah demonstrated how to export MPA polygon data from the Allen Coral Atlas to the CT Atlas, manage and clean data, and emphasized verified ground-level data. The process for reviewing and selecting CTMPAs nominations was explained, focusing on required attributes for categories three and four.

The Regional Secretariat team, led by Ms. Cristel Amarillo, received hands-on guidance in managing and cleaning data using Google Earth, Excel, and QGIS. The team learned to input data, transform MPA points into shapefiles, and correct naming errors. Further assistance will be provided to CT Atlas Focal Points.

Aligning activities and integrating information into National Plans of Action (NPOAs) was another focus. A learning exchange workshop facilitated by consultant Mr. Muhammad Ichsan provided a platform for sharing experiences among countries.

Budget planning for 2024 was also discussed, emphasizing collaboration, realistic budgeting, and the need for dedicated staff and partnerships to support the Monitoring and Evaluation team.

The MEWG stressed the importance of finalizing NPOAs by year-end and agreed to conduct a special meeting to discuss the work plan and budget. Regular monitoring meetings were also planned.

The three-day meeting in Papua New Guinea underscored accountability and evidence-based decision-making in marine conservation. Through training, collaboration, and strategic planning, the Coral Triangle Initiative set the stage for continued progress in regional sustainability.