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RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 003033 
 
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SUBJECT: CTI Ministerial Consensus Reached to Locate Regional 
Secretariat in Indonesia 
 
BANGKOK 00003033  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: At the 2nd Ministerial Meeting held in Gizo, Solomon 
Islands on November 19, 2009, Ministers from the six countries of 
the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food 
Security (CTI-CFF) unanimously agreed to locate the Permanent 
Regional Secretariat in Indonesia. Other major decisions agreed to 
by the Ministers include 1) approval of the structure and functions 
of the Permanent Regional Secretariat, 2) selection of Indonesia to 
serve as Chair and the Solomon Islands to serve as Deputy Chair of 
the CTI Council of Ministers, and 3) adoption of a Joint Communiqu 
on Climate Change to be presented at the United Nations Framework 
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen in December 
¶2009. END SUMMARY 
 
The Coral Triangle Initiative 
 
¶2. The "Coral Triangle" includes the Philippines, Malaysia, 
Indonesia, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, and Papua New Guinea. This 
5.7 million square km area of ocean and islands has the highest 
marine biodiversity on earth. It provides livelihoods for 240 
million people and food for many more. The area is threatened by 
over- and destructive fishing, land- and sea-based pollution, and 
the impacts of climate change. The Leaders of the six Coral Triangle 
countries launched the CTI and endorsed the implementation of the 
CTI Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) at the May 2009 CTI Summit in 
Manado, Indonesia. The Coral Triangle countries have made steady 
progress finalizing their respective CTI National Plans of Action 
(NPOA) and mobilizing National CTI Coordination Committees (NCCs). 
 
¶3. The US CTI Support Program builds on over a decade of U.S. 
investment in coastal resource management, fisheries and 
marine-protected area work in the region. The US CTI Support Program 
is implemented by a consortium of NGOs (World Wildlife Fund, 
Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy), NOAA, and a 
USAID Program Integrator contractor. The USAID Regional Development 
Mission for Asia (RDMA) provides overall management of the program, 
in coordination with U.S. Embassies and other USAID missions in the 
Philippines, Indonesia, and Timor Leste, and the U.S. State 
Department. 
 
Major Decisions from the Second Ministerial Meeting (MM2) 
 
¶4. Ministers from the six nations of the CTI-CFF met in Gizo, 
Solomon Islands on November 19, 2009 to review and approve the 
recommendations from the Senior Officials Meetings previously held 
in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia (REF 2777) and Honiara, Solomon Islands. 
The agreements reaffirmed the CTI-CFF governments' commitment to 
effectively preserve and sustainably manage the world's epicenter of 
marine biodiversity. The major agreements described in the Joint 
Ministerial Statement from the 2nd Ministerial Meeting in Gizo are 
as follows 
 
¶5. The Permanent Secretariat in Indonesia. The Ministers unanimously 
agreed to locate the Permanent Regional Secretariat in Indonesia. 
While hosted by the Indonesia Government, the Secretariat will 
remain an independent body governed by the six Coral Triangle 
nations under the direction of the CTI-CFF Senior Officials. 
Indonesia's Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries Honorable Dr. 
Fadel Muhammad reiterated his government's commitment to host the 
Secretariat and provide the physical infrastructure and office 
support services. He also indicated that the office would be located 
in either Bali or Jakarta, and that construction of the facility 
will commence in January 2011 after the approval of Indonesia's 
Office of the President. The CTI implementation is one of the first 
100-day deliverables of the newly re-elected President of Indonesia 
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. 
 
¶6. Structure of the Secretariat. The Secretariat will be headed by 
an Executive Director supported by a Deputy Director for Corporate 
Services and a Deputy Director for Programs. The Corporate Services 
 
BANGKOK 00003033  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Unit will be responsible for finance, administration and 
coordination. The Programs Unit will be responsible for program 
implementation, coordination, communications and knowledge services. 
All positions will be recruited based on merit and will only include 
citizens from the CT6 member countries. Country funding 
contributions to support the Secretariat will be determined by the 
ministers in the governing document (i.e. Charter or Memorandum of 
Understanding) authorizing the creation of the Secretariat. 
 
¶7. Appointment of Chairman of CTI Council of Ministers.  The 
Ministers selected Indonesia to serve as Chair and for the Solomon 
Islands to serve as Deputy Chair of the CTI Council of Ministers. 
The CTI Council of Ministers creates and aligns policies and governs 
implementation of the CTI Regional Plan of Action. Terms will be for 
two years, rotating in alphabetical order. 
 
¶8. Joint Communiqu on Climate Change. The Ministers agreed to 
present a unified position on Climate Change at the December 14 
"Ocean Day Event" in Copenhagen.  The communiqu affirms that the 
oceans play a critical role in the lives of 240 million people in 
the Coral Triangle, emphasizing that impacts of climate change have 
already severely threatened the marine, coastal and small islands 
ecosystems of the six countries. 
 
 
¶9. The Joint Communiqu also requests the inclusion of a marine 
element into the negotiation text of the UNFCCC which urges the 
leaders of all nations to recognize and address the threats to the 
marine environment, particularly on coral reefs, fisheries and food 
security. It affirms the CTI countries' commitment to address 
climate change adaptation programs as stated in the CTI-CFF RPOA 
adopted by the CT6 Leaders in Manado, and calls for increased 
funding support from the global community. It closes with a reminder 
that while the CT6 leaders are committed to leading their people in 
building natural, social and economic resilience, these efforts 
would be futile unless sufficient mitigation measures are put into 
effect to reduce greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 
¶2020. 
 
¶10. Next Steps. The Ministers in closing agreed on the following 
actions 1) Immediately begin the CTI Regional Secretariat transition 
process including the drafting of legal documents to be led by the 
host government Indonesia 2) Hold a regional planning program 
workshop in April 2010 to define CTI-CFF regional priorities and 
implementation workplans 3) Hold follow-up meetings of the Working 
Groups for Financial Resources and Monitoring and Evaluation in June 
and July 2010, respectively and 4) Hold the 6th Senior Officials 
Meeting and 3rd Ministerial Meeting, tentatively scheduled in August 
2010, to agree on collaborative actions and sign the charter 
establishing the Regional Secretariat 
 
JOHN