International Affairs Events Archive
March - May 2006
APEC MRCWG Annual Meeting and Projects On April 26-28
OIA will be participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Marine Resources Conservation Working Group (MRCWG) annual meeting in Shanghai, China. One of the meeting’s purposes will be to examine how to respond to the Bali Plan of Action (BPA) that VADM Lautenbacher and other ministers approved at the 2nd APEC Ocean-Related Ministerial Meeting last September (see picture). NOAA is putting two projects forward to the APEC MRCWG funding competition that respond to the BPA -- 1) Marine Ecosystem Identification and Mapping in the Asia-Pacific Region, based on the Large Marine Ecosystem approach and to be undertaken in partnership with Korea, and 2) Tsunami Preparedness and Resilience through Research, Extension, Education and Training, based on the Sea Grant program and to be undertaken in partnership with Indonesia and Thailand. Both projects are open to participation by all 21 APEC member economies. For a look at the outcomes of last year’s MRCWG meeting, see http://www.apec.org/apec/apec_groups/working_groups/marine_resource_conservation.html
World Water Forum
The World Water Council will hold its fourth international World Water Forum in Mexico
City, March 16-22. The event elevates the global awareness of water issues and “seeks to enable multi-stakeholder participation and dialogue to influence water policy making at a global level.” At the conference, representatives from the National Ocean Service will coordinate a session with the United Nations Environment Programme’s Global Programme of Action. The session will address National Programs of Actions and their ability to help reduce the threat of land based sources of marine pollution. NOAA staff will participate in additional sessions related to Integrated Water Resource Management and other freshwater to coasts linkages. For more information please see http://www.worldwaterforum4.org.mx/ or contact Heather.Allen@noaa.gov.-
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
will hold its 8th Conference of the Parties (COP) meeting in Curitiba, Brazil, March 20-31. There will be recommendations on action items related to Integrated Marine and Coastal Area Management, High Seas Marine Protected Areas, Invasive Species, and Island Biodiversity. For more information please visit the CBD website (www.biodiv.org) or contact Elizabeth.McLanahan@noaa.gov.
- A Review Conference for the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (UN Fish Stock Agreement or UNFSA) will be held in New York, New York, May 22-26, 2006. The Conference will assess the effectiveness of UNFSA in securing the conservation and management of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks. Further, the Conference will, if necessary, propose means for strengthening the substance and methods for implementation of the provisions in order to better address any continuing problems. A preparatory meeting for the Review Conference will be held March 20-24, 2006 also at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. For additional information about either meeting, please see http://www.un.org/Depts/los/index.htm or contact Shannon.Dionne@noaa.gov.