Some foreign govt leaders to attend CTI summit in Manado

Manado (ANTARA News) – Several foreign heads of state/government are to attend the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit 2009 here next May in conjunction with a World Ocean Conference (WOC), a spokesperson for the events` organizers said.

WOC 2009 regional committee spokesperson Deisy Mantiri said here on Thursday the CTI Summit 2009 would be a side event of WOC to be held in North Sulawesi`s provincial capital May 11-15, 2009.

Citing a confirmation from WOC central committee, Mantiri said foreign leaders who would attend the CTI Summit were among others Timor Leste President Jose Ramos Horta and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Mantiri said the Philippine president told South Sulawesi Governor SH Sarundajang during a meeting in New York recently that she would attend the CTI Summit.

The CTI Summit involves six countries, namely Indonesia as host country, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, the Philippines, Timor Leste, the two sponsoring countries — the United States and Australia — and a number of non-governmental organizations.

The participants in the CTI Summit which is to be preceded by a Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), would discuss the importance of corral reefs preservation in an effort to anticipate climate change and global warming.

Mantiri said the six countries were geographically located in the Coral Triangle area and therefore they should cooperate closely in preserving their coral reefs.

She said WOC 2009 would bring together world leaders and decision-makers to make commitments for sustainable development of marine resources.

Given the fact that Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country endowed with the most comprehensive biodiversity in the world, the summit would only further enhance Indonesia`s position in existing regional and international forums, she said.

The gradual degradation of marine and fisheries resources was related to over fishing, pollution, and climate change, and therefore, global efforts to stop the trends were urgently required.

Meanwhile, UNESCO had pledged its support for the WOC as part of the world`s efforts to deal with global warming.