The Third Regional Inception Phase Meeting - NIR Development and Completion

The Third Regional Inception Phase Meeting, held on March 15, 2021, was a crucial working session for the "Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand (SCS SAP Project)". The project aims to assist participating countries in meeting the approved Strategic Action Programme (SAP) targets for the marine and coastal environment of the South China Sea. The main objective of this meeting was to provide support and clear guidance to national teams/consultants responsible for developing the National Implementation Reports (NIRs) over the subsequent two months. The NIRs are essential as they serve as the national project documents with fully developed workplans and budgets ready for execution. Key topics addressed included: the roles of the national and local coordination structures (IMC, NTWG) ; guidance on the NIR template and its approach to completion, including updating national policies and stakeholder information ; the methodology for reviewing and updating selected sites under Component 1 ; and requirements for budget estimation, including co-financing. Discussions were also intended to address challenges in aligning the project with new global and regional priorities such as the SDGs, CBD Post-2020 Framework, and climate change issues. This meeting was vital for ensuring the timely finalization of the NIRs in preparation for the First Project Steering Committee/Inception Meeting planned for May 2021.

 SCS SAP 3rd Inception Full Meeting Report