The declaration on the establishment of the AIS Forum, as called as the Manado Declaration, was agreed by the delegation during the 3rd Senior Official Meeting of the AIS Forum on Wednesday (Oct 31) in Manado, North Sulawesi, based on a statement received here on Wednesday.
The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs cooperated with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the North Sulawesi Provincial Government to hold the forum.
The declaration, which was agreed by 17 delegations, contains details on the formation of the AIS forum. These countries include Philippines, Japan, Cabo Verde, Cuba, Fiji, Guinea Bissau, Cyprus, Indonesia, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Navis, Seychelles, Singapore, Malta, Timor Leste, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom.
Deputy coordinating minister of maritime sovereignty at the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, who chaired the meeting, welcomed the agreement.
"We want to build concrete cooperation to deal with the main problems such as marine plastic debris and marine management," he noted.
Furthermore, the agreement of the participants regarding climate change mitigation, biodiversity protection, marine conservation, and blue economy was the concern of the delegates.
Meanwhile, Stephen Borr, a delegation from Malta, remarked that the issue of climate change mitigation should be explained comprehensively in the Manado declaration," Borr explained.
Furthermore, the delegates expressed their support for innovative solutions that have been concretely carried out by the Government of Indonesia and UNDP.
One of innovative solutions is the competition to campaign against the dangers of plastic waste in the sea for people and the environment through infographics.
In addition, documents for the establishment of AIS Forum will be discussed further and announced at the AIS forum`s ministerial meeting.
The meeting will be chaired by Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut B. Pandjaitan at Grand Kawanua International Conference, Manado, North Sulawesi, on Thursday (Nov 1).
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Reporter: Antara
Editor: Otniel Tamindael
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