GIZ BMUB Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape Project: Project Implementation Review

The project implementation review is facilitated by GIZ staff Victor Tumilba and Mareska Mantik 
Pic. @GIZNoora

GIZ BMUB - The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape Project supports mainly three CTI countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. This apex of the Coral Triangle is the world’s center of marine biodiversity with the highest numbers of coral, crustacean, and marine plant species and about 3,000 species of fish; also home to the largest nesting population of green turtles in Southeast Asia. The project assists the countries to implement and coordinate their activities under the CTI-CFF RPOA.

In recent years, the project and partner countries have focused on two focal areas: supporting the effective management of marine protected areas (MPAs) and establishing a regional marine protected area network (MPAN) for the conservation of sea turtles linking nationally declared MPAs; and promoting an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in selected marine managed areas.

On 25-26 October 2017 in Manila, Philippines, the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape Project held the 2nd Project Implementation Review (PIR) Meeting. This followed the 1st PIR and Project Steering Committee (PSC) meetings held at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, in October 2016. Objectives were to assess project achievements, identify challenges, and plan activities beyond the project.

Participants included project government agency partners from Indonesia (MMAF), Malaysia (DOFS, Sabah Parks, and Sabah Wildlife Department), the Philippines (BFAR, NFRDI, and BMB of DENR), CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat, CI, GIZ, as well as representatives from WWF-Malaysia and The Nature Conservancy-Indonesia. Participants shared progress within their institutions.

The Project Secretariat revisited decisions and agreements from the 2016 meetings and provided an overview of regional research and learning visits. CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat shared developments on organizational structure and TWG progress. GIZ and partners reported on outcomes, outputs, indicators, and alignment with CTI-CFF RPOA goals, highlighting challenges and lessons learned.

Recommendations from the review included: facilitating the establishment of the regional or tri-national MPA network; following up on the Capacity Needs Assessment; and improving coordination mechanisms for priority seascapes via the Seascapes Working Group (SWG) Chair, for circulation to member countries for Pre-SOM discussion and endorsement.

Facilitated by Franca Sprong, GIZ BMUB Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape Project Director, the meeting concluded with partners envisioning strengthened transboundary cooperation in the region for marine turtle habitat protection and fisheries management.

Indonesia NCC Team and GIZ staff in front of their vision on strengthened transboundary cooperation in the Coral Triangle by 2022. 
Pic. @GIZNoora

Written by Mareska Mantik, GIZ