OUR ORGANIZATION
Operating Mechanisms
Recognizing the importance and urgency in addressing the environmental challenges and in moving toward sustainable development of the Seas of East Asia, the 2006 Haikou Partnership Agreement established PEMSEA as the region’s coordinating mechanism for the implementation the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA).
PEMSEA carries out this mandate through these operating mechanisms:
East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress
Held every three years, the Congress serves as an intellectual melting pot of the various stakeholders, partners and collaborators, and is an opportunity to share knowledge and monitor the progress of the SDS-SEA programmes and projects.
Among the various events of the Congress are a Ministerial Forum and an International Conference. The Ministerial Forum is a venue for providing policy directions and commitments related to SDS-SEA implementation, while the International Conference conducts knowledge exchange activities and discussions targeted at specific sectors’ issues, while promoting priority programmes and various mechanisms and encouraging corporateresponsibility the business community.
East Asian Seas (EAS) Partnership Council
The EAS Partnership Council is a regular body that provides the policy and operational guidance for the progress of the implementation of the SDS-SEA. It steers, monitors and reviews the ongoing directions of the implementation.
The Council is composed of an Executive Committee, an Intergovernmental Session and a Technical Session.
PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF)
Secretariat and technical services are provided by the PRF to support SDS-SEA implementation.
Specifically, Secretariat Services oversees the implementation of Council decisions, the organization of the EAS Congress, and monitoring and reporting. Technical Services delivers and mobilizes policy and technical advice, capacity building and technical support for sustainable coastal ocean governance.
An Executive Director heads the PRF, overseeing coordination between both Services. Voluntary contributions from the region’s Partners and from other sources are used to fund Secretariat Services, while Technical Services augment funds from sponsored projects and programmes.