From 13-17 July, an officer from the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources (MFOR), Kiribati, successfully participated in the Building Capacity on Biodiversity-Inclusive and Climate-SMART Marine Spatial Planning and Area-Based Management for ABNJ held in Busan, Republic of Korea.

The week-long training brought together participants from the Pacific and around the world to strengthen knowledge and practical skills in integrating biodiversity conservation and climate impacts into Marine Spatial Planning. The training also provided valuable insights into ecosystem-based management, Area-Based Management Tools (ABMTs), stakeholder engagement, and the implementation of the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)

The knowledge and experience gained from this training will support Kiribati’s ongoing Marine Spatial Planning Efforts and contribute to the country’s work on biodiversity conservation, ABMT and sustainable ocean management.

The training was co-hosted by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST). We sincerely thank the organizers and partners for this valuable learning opportunity.

This participation was made possible through the generous support from UNESCO and New Zealand MFAT under the Cab-SMART MSP Project.