Regional Meeting on Way Forward of the Resolution and Plan of Action for the ASEAN Region Towards 2020 convened by SEAFDEC

SEAFDEC organized the Regional Meeting on Way Forward of the Resolution and Plan of Action for the ASEAN Region Towards 2020 from 1 to 2 May 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand. The Meeting was attended by the SEAFDEC National Coordinators and National Focal Points for the Revision of the RPOA&POA for: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam; officers and representatives from the SEAFDEC Secretariat, SEAFDEC Training Department (TD), Aquaculture Department (AQD), Marine Fishery Resources Development and Management Department (MFRDMD), and Inland Fishery Resources Development and Management Department (IFRDMD); as well as resource persons and representatives from collaborating partners of SEAFDEC, namely: the Department of Fisheries of Thailand, Faculty of Fisheries of Kasetsart University of Thailand, the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAO/RAP), Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mekong River Commission (MRC), UN Environment/Fisheries Refugia Project, and School of Fisheries Science of Hokkaido University of Japan. The purpose of the Meeting was to review the progress made by the AMSs, SEAFDEC and other regional and sub-regional partners in implementing the RES&POA-2020, discuss and identify other fisheries-related and emerging issues to be considered in revising the RES&POA-2020, provide possible links to other fisheries policy development processes such as those of the ASEAN, and finalize the workplan and way forward for development of the draft RES&POA towards 2030. The National Focal Point for Revision of RES&PoA for Thailand, Mr. Theerawat Samphawamana, was unanimously elected as Chairperson of Meeting which came up with the elements for Revision of the Resolution and Plan of Action for the ASEAN Region towards 2030 and the revised work plan for reviewing the RES&POA-2030. The results of the Meeting would be submitted to the SEAFDEC Council and subsequently to the ASEAN for consideration ad referendum, and for endorsement under the arrangement of the Focal Points for the Fisheries Consultative Group of the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Strategic Partnership also ad referendum.