18 September 2015, Kobe, Japan — The APN 31st Steering Committee (SC) Meeting successfully concluded with a set of guidance for action towards and beyond the next Inter-Governmental Meeting, particularly on financial management and future financial strategies, as well as strategic cooperation with international partners in the global change arena.
The meeting was attended by SC members and representatives from Bhutan, China, Japan, New Zealand, Russian Federation, Thailand, and the United States of America. It was chaired by Ms Peldon Tshering, APN National Focal Point (nFP) for Bhutan and Chief Program Officer, Policy and Planning Services, National Environment Commission, Royal Government of Bhutan.
The opening session was attended by Ms. Junko Umetani, Chief Executive Officer for the Environment, Agricultural & Environmental Affairs Department, Hyogo Prefectural Government, who expressed her appreciation for the work of APN over the last two decades in supporting global change research and capacity development in the Asia-Pacific region, and expressed Hyogo Prefectural Government’s honour as a financial supporter in this effort and as a host of the APN Secretariat.
The meeting reviewed the activities undertaken by the Secretariat since the conclusion of the last Inter-Governmental Meeting held in March 2015.
The SC approved APN’s final financial report for Fiscal Year 2014 and reviewed the latest financial status of APN. It also approved the continuation or termination of a number of projects under the ACRP and CAPaBLE programmes as well as the CAF framework, based on a report and request by the Secretariat.
A key agenda item of the meeting is related to APN’s financial strategies for the future, under which the SC deliberated possible options and tools for securing a robust financial basis for APN in the short- and long-term future.
Dr. Xiaojia He, representing the nFP for China, conveyed an official announcement that China will host the upcoming 21st joint IGM/SPG meeting, the dates and venue of which will be communicated to members when decided.
Other issues considered by the SC include strategies for reviving inactive Member Countries, strategic cooperation with organisations in the global change arena, and in this connection, APN involvement in major international events.
