CTI-CFF Holds Dialogue with Partners

The Chairman of the CTI-CFF Council of Ministers, Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili, who is also the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) in Malaysia, met with representatives of various development and non-profit organizations supporting the CTI-CFF on September 7, 2012 in Sabah, Malaysia.

The dialogue, which was attended by representatives from the Interim CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat and partner organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, US Agency for International Development, Australian Government, and the World Wildlife Fund, discussed the progress being made in the establishment of the permanent CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat in Indonesia and sought continuous support to ensure the implementation of the CTI-CFF Regional and National Plans of Action. The dialogue also aimed to bring together various efforts in setting up a regional financial architecture and sustainable financing mechanism for various CTI-CFF priority projects at the regional, national, and local level.

During the meeting, Dr. Ongkili also announced that Malaysia has already disbursed about RM1.17 million on six research projects supporting the Malaysia’s National Plan of Action while eight projects amounting to RM2.39 million (USD 780,000) have been approved for implementation in the next four years. Apart from the above, the Sabah State Government had set up a State Coordination Committee to coordinate and implement some of the activities as stipulated in the CTI NPOA.  The committee has recommended seven community projects worth RM990,000 (USD 320,00) which were also endorsed by the Malaysian CTI National Coordination Committee during its second meeting in August 2012.

Dr. Ongkili also formally announced that Malaysia will host the upcoming 8th CTI-CFF Senior Officials Meeting  and 4th Ministerial Meeting from November 19-22, 2012   as well as the planning process for the two high-level activities.

Photo: Dr. Ongkili (center, seated) poses with CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat and partner representatives after the meeting.