ID :
60645
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 22:05
Auther :

PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO APPRECIATES WOC'S SUCCESS

Manado, May 14 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed his appreciation to the success of the World Ocean Conference in reaching an agreement on the Manado Ocean Declaration (MOD).

"I am glad the conference was able to produce the MOD," he said at a dinner held in honor of the participants of the WOC and the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit, here on Thursday evening.

He said the success served as a strong signal for marine community in the world with regard to the need to safeguard the ocean and marine resources.

"This is an important part of the solution with regard to efforts to seek a concensus on climate change," he said.

On the occasion President Yudhoyono also expressed his appreciation to five heads of state/government attending the CTI Summit namely Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Derek Sikua, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare and Timor Leste President Ramos Horta.

The event which was also attended by ambassadors from friendly countries began with a screening of a video film on "The CTI: A Call to Action."
Six countries located on an area of 5.7 square kilometers of the Coral Triangle agreed to coordinate in protect marines resources in the region.

With the width measuring only two percent of the world's waters the Coral Triangle is home to 76 percent of known coral species.

The area is also rich of fish species. More than 120 million people directly or indirectly depend on marine resources in the area for livelihood.

The resources however are now being threatened due to climate change, overfishing, illegal fishing, unsustainable sand mining and pollution.

Because of these factors fish supply has dropped, mangrove forests depleted in a large scale and coral system degraded.

In response to the problem the six countries agreed to develop an action plan to implement a new initiative.

In the next few years they would work together with their partners to implement the strategy of sea conservation area, sustainable management of marine resources, protection of endangered species and climate change adaptation.

***3***

X