Papua New Guinea Assumes Chair of CTI-CFF Council of Ministers, Philippines is Vice Chair

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is the new Chair of the CTI-CFF Council of Ministers (CTI COM), and the Philippines is the new Vice Chair. They will serve a term that began on May 16, 2014 and ends on May 16, 2016 or “when the next Ministerial Meeting will be held after 16 May 2016.”

PNG’s Minister for the Environment, Conservation and Climate Change, Mr. John Pundari, took over the CTI COM chairmanship from Malaysia’s Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Datuk Dr. Ewon Ebin. He was represented by Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Department Secretary, Mr. Gunther Joku, in the handover ceremony on May 15, at the conclusion of 5th Ministerial Meeting in Manado, Indonesia.

The members of the CTI COM thanked Dr. Ewon for his leadership as CTI COM Chair, and lauded him for the tremendous progress achieved during his term in developing the coordination mechanisms that provide the foundation for long-term success of the CTI-CFF as a partnership of nations committed to managing the Coral Triangle for sustainability.

The CTI COM is the principal decision-making body of the CTI-CFF, responsible for maintaining the CTI-CFF vision and promoting regional priorities, and considering, approving or disapproving the decisions of the CTI Committee of Senior Officials (CTI CSO) on proposals, recommendations, plans, programs, projects and activities of the Regional Secretariat, among other functions.

The chairmanship of the CTI COM is rotated according to a predetermined two-year schedule among the countries in alphabetical order based on the name of the Party.  The same rule applies to the vice chairmanship.

As well as presiding Ministerial Meetings, the CTI COM Chair – or, in his/her absence or incapacity to act, the Vice Chair – acts on behalf of the CTI COM “on any matter which is the responsibility of the CTI COM.”