PEMSEA gains ground on pushing East Asian sustainable development
November 26, 2009 3:27 pm
MANILA, Nov. 26 – Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) marked a milestone in its 15-year history as eight East Asian nations signed Thursday in Manila the agreement instituting its legal personality as an international body working for sustainable development of the region's coastal and marine areas.
Ministers from PEMSEA country-partners Cambodia, China, North Korea, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, South Korea, Timor Leste and the Philippines signed this agreement so the body can enter into contracts covering activities that'll promote sustainable development in East Asia.
"The agreement will also enable PEMSEA to receive and manage contributions for such purpose," Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio said on the side of this event at Philippine International Convention Center.
Such development is expected to boost implementation of integrated coastal management in East Asia which experts identified as home to about a third of the earth's coral reefs and around one-fourth of mangroves worldwide.
Experts also reported East Asia accounts for some 40 percent of global marine fish production.
The agreement's signing elevated status of PEMSEA from being that of a regional mechanism for promoting development across coastal and marine areas in East Asia.
"Signing of the agreement is a defining moment for partnership which should do us all proud," said Jacqueline Badcock, resident representative in the Philippines of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which is among PEMSEA's supporters.
She believes boosting sustainable development will help East Asia meet the Millenium Development Goals which mainly center on improving quality of life.
PEMSEA country-partners Vietnam, Japan and Singapore will sign the agreement soon.
Ignacio said these weren't able to join Thursday's signing as ministers of such countries are still awaiting from respective heads of State authorization to ink the agreement.
"The agreement is in force already since only three signatures are needed to give PEMSEA its legal personality," he clarified, however.
Ignacio also said DENR and PEMSEA will sign an agreement so the latter can formally have its headquarters at the former's central office compound in Quezon City.
PEMSEA's headquarters is already within this compound but he said such arrangement hasn't been formalized yet.
Signing of the agreement is among highlights of the third East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress which DENR hosted in partnership with PEMSEA, UNDP and other supporters.
This triennial event provides a venue for various stakeholders to identify existing and emerging issues affecting the region's coastal and marine areas.
During this congress, stakeholders concerned also discuss how such issues can be addressed best.
For the 2009 congress, discussions focused on coastal and ocean governance, natural and man-made hazard prevention and management, food security and livelihood management, pollution reduction and waste management, water use and supply management as well as habitat protection, restoration and management. (PNA) LBV/CJT/utb
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