The Second Regional Inception Phase Meeting: Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand (SCS SAP Project)

The Second Regional Inception Phase Meeting for the SCS SAP Project was held on December 4, 2020, to advance the project's inception phase, which was fully underway despite initial delays and the challenges posed by COVID-19. The primary objective of the meeting was to present and discuss the progress made towards elaborating the Inception Reports, review the workplan, current budget, and the status of national activities. The project's overall goal is to assist the six participating countries (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam) in meeting the targets of the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the marine and coastal environment of the South China Sea. A key focus was on updates from countries regarding the development of their National Implementation Reports (NIRs), especially confirming national focal points for the various working bodies (IMC, NTWG, and Specialized Executing Agencies) and the priority sites for intervention. The NIRs are crucial as they serve as the detailed national project documents, outlining activities, workplans, and budgets, and must ensure alignment with new global (SDGs, CBD Post-2020, Climate Change) and national priorities. The meeting aimed to agree on the next steps for finalizing all documentation for adoption at the First Steering Committee Meeting/Inception Workshop, provisionally scheduled for March/April 2021. The adopted documents will supersede the original project document for execution.