25 Sep CTC Renews Partnership with Timor-Leste Government

The Coral Triangle Center renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) on 25 September, 2018, The MOU was signed MAF Minister Joaquim Jose Gusmao Dos Reis Martins and CTC Executive Director Rili Djohani at CTC’s Center for Marine Conservation in Sanur, Bali.

Under the MOU, CTC will collaborate with the MAF until 2022 in implementing marine resource management, capacity building, and women empowerment programs in the country. These includes, among others, the establishment of the Atauro and Liquica Marine Protected Areas, trainings on MPA Management effectiveness and scientific diving, sustainable tourism program for dive operators, reef health monitoring, as  well as outreach and communications to spread awareness about marine conservation.

During the signing ceremony,  Minister Dos Reis Martins commended CTC for the key milestones received under its previous MOU with the ministry from 2013 to 2017. Amongst the achievements were the conduct of seven training sessions on marine resource management topics which covered 129 participants, conduct of rapid marine assessment and socio-economic surveys in in Atauro and Liquica to provide baseline data on MPA establishment and women empowerment programs under the CTI-CFF Women Leaders Forum.