Environmental health

Seven ASEAN countries have formally launched an initiative aimed at improving the environmental health of the seas, through the implementation of key International Maritime Organization (IMO) marine environment protection treaties. Senior decision makers of maritime administrations of the beneficiary ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) met for their first high-level regional meeting in Indonesia, to kick-start the “Marine Environment Protection for south-east Asia Seas (MEPSEAS) Project”. IMO is implementing the project, with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). The ASEAN Maritime Transport Working Group, the highest regional policy-making body dealing with maritime matters in the region, will act as the advisory body.