13th Intergovernmental Session of the IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC-XIII) conducted virtually from 27 to 29 April 2021, with three-hour daily sessions to facilitate the participation of member state representatives from various time zones. The virtual session was kindly hosted by the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
This is WESTPAC 13th regular session, organized biennially to review the progress of the Sub-commission over the last intersessional period, formulate its workplan and budget and elect its Officers for the next term.
More than 90 representatives from 12 WESTPAC Member States and WESTPAC office participated in this session, with the attendance of Bangladesh Foreign Minister, H.E. Dr. Abdul Momen and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, as well as Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin, IOC Executive Secretary
The agenda for the session will focus on essential issues requiring attention, guidance and collective actions of IOC Member States in the region. The participants have heard reports on WESTPAC progress, latest development at global level on the UN Ocean Decade and IOC strategy development, reviewed 4 WESTPAC programme development over the last period. All particpants recognized and highly appreciated the accomplishments WESTPAC officers have achieved and the contributions of all Member States to WESTPAC programmes and activities during the past term.
5 WESTPAC new programmes (the Study of the Kuroshio, Changes in the Asian Marginal Seas Environment in response to global climate change, Gas hydrates and Methane Fluxes in the Indo-Pacific region, Rapid Detection Technology for Harmful Algal Blooms, Integrated Investigation in Indo-Pacific Convergent Center -Marine Ecosystem and Biodiversity) were reviewed, evaluated and adopted by the session The participants also heard proposals and dicussed WESTPAC contribution to UN Decade of Oceance Science of Sustainable Development (2021 – 2023), as well as WESTPAC workplan and budget for the period May 2021 – April 2023. WESTPAC annual budget is not much, so the contribution from Member States as previously, either in-kind or cash, is necessary to carry out all its activites.
At the close session, new WESTPAC officers for the next term were elected. Prof. Fangli Qiao, Deputy Director General of the First Institute of Oceanography, China and Dr. Kentaro Ando from Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science Technology were elected as co-chairpersons, Prof Aileen Tan Shau Hwai from University Sains Malaysia as vice chairperson for the term May 2021 – 2023. The session also appreciated and fully agreed with Indonesian proposal to host WESTPAC 14th session in 2023.
(Source IOC Viet Nam)
Bangladesh Foreign Misnister, H.E Abdul Momen, on behalf of the host country, delivered his opening speech
Dr. Vo Si Tuan, WESTPAC Chairperson at the opening the Session
Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin, IOC Executive Secretary, presented his report on the first day of the Session
Mr. Wenxi Zhu, Head of WESTPAC Office reported WESTPAC contribution to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021 – 2023
Bangladesh Foreign Secretary, H.E Masud Bin Momen at the closing the Session
Participants of the Session
