AIS Forum Summit in 2023 to Sharpen Global Strategy on Climate Change

Forum Merdeka Barat holds the FMB9 Road to the 2023 AIS FORUM Summit entitled “Real Action for Ocean Management”.

The 2023 Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum Summit to be held in Nusa Dua, Bali, on October 10-11, aims to sharpen the joint strategy of archipelagic and island states to face maritime issues and problems in the international community, especially related to climate change.

“The AIS Forum will become a platform for archipelagic and island states to face common enemies, such as sea level rise and climate change. Efforts will become more coordinated, structured, and sharp. So, it is no longer sporadic,” said Padjajaran University (UNPAD) researcher who is also Indonesia’s representative at the 2023 AIS RnD Conference, Alexander Muhammad Khan, in the Forum Merdeka Barat (FMB9) Road to the 2023 AIS Forum Summit entitled “Real Action for Ocean Management” which was aired on the Forum Merdeka Barat 9 YouTube channel.

Alexander expressed belief that in dealing with problems on land and oceans, different strategies are required. This is due to several reasons, such as differences in territorial boundaries. On land, the boundaries will be clearly visible, while they are not in the sea, he said. Therefore, Alexander highlighted that fisheries and marine issues cannot be resolved in silos.

“With communication forums such as the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF), and now the AIS Forum, these issues are seen as common interests that can be shared and managed together,” he said.

Alexander also said that Indonesia has made the right move in mobilizing other countries to solve the common problem in the ocean.

“Indonesia is already on the right track for initiating the establishment of the CTI-CFF in 2009 and the AIS Forum in 2018. This shows Indonesia’s vision and leadership at the global level, especially in marine issues,” he said.

Alexander further pointed out that, for example in Indonesia, people living on small islands are bearing the brunt of climate change, such as in North Maluku, Maluku, or Papua. Among the problems are rising sea levels, plastic waste problems, and a decrease in fishermen’s catches.  For this reason, Indonesia is striving to work hand in hand with countries with similar interests and visions to preserve the fisheries and marine environment, making it a joint global action, he said.

According to him, the Indonesian Government has issued policies that are in line with the problems facing coastal and island communities. The policies are considered a form of maturity in fisheries and marine management which has been running for 24 years since 1999 or since the establishment of Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.

“For example, with the decline in the number of catches, the Government issued regulations that limit the fishing gears to be used, limit fishing locations, and regulate fishing time,” Alexander said.

In the same forum, AIS Youth Conference 2023 Representative Engel Laisina underlined the importance of easy accessibility for rural areas both in coastal and islands areas.

“Why is it important? Because rural areas are the ones that bear the brunt of climate change. So far, I see that efforts to prevent or mitigate climate change have only been prevalent in cities, while the most affected are villages,” Engel said.

Therefore, Engel expressed hope that all representatives in attendance at the 2023 AIS Forum Summit will share their knowledge and experience in dealing with and overcoming the increasingly worrying issue of climate change. (AIS FORUM 2023 COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA TEAM/UN) (FI/MUR)