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United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Indonesia Country Director Christophe Bahuet said that the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum contributed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

The AIS Forum is also committed to helping the archipelagic and island states to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

"The AIS Forum will focus on practical development solutions and open up new opportunities for island nations to find innovative ways to protect marine resources while increasing their income," Christophe Bahuet said during the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum Manado, North Sulawesi, on Thursday.

Bahuet said that an innovative financing would help members to access new financing mechanisms such as mixed finance, Islamic finance, and green bonds for projects under the AIS Forum.

With rising sea levels due to global warming, the archipelagic and island states are vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

The Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum`s Ministerial Meeting was attended by delegates from 20 countries such as Cuba, Comoro Island, Cyprus, Fiji, Guinea Bissau, Indonesia, Jamaica, Madagascar, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Timor Leste and The United Kingdom.

The 3rd Senior Official Meeting (SOM) delegation earlier agreed to establish the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum.

The declaration on the establishment of the AIS Forum, called the Manado Declaration, was agreed by the delegation during the 3rd Senior Official Meeting of the AIS Forum on Wednesday (Oct 31) in Manado, North Sulawesi.

The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs cooperated with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the North Sulawesi Provincial Government to hold the forum.

The declaration, which was agreed by 17 delegations, contains details on the formation of the AIS forum. These countries include Philippines, Japan, Cabo Verde, Cuba, Fiji, Guinea Bissau, Cyprus, Indonesia, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Navis, Seychelles, Singapore, Malta, Timor Leste, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom.

Deputy coordinating minister of maritime sovereignty at the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, who chaired the meeting, welcomed the agreement.

"We want to build concrete cooperation to deal with the main problems such as marine plastic debris and marine management," he noted.

Furthermore, the agreement of the participants regarding climate change mitigation, biodiversity protection, marine conservation, and blue economy was the concern of the delegates. (ANTARA)