SEAFDEC Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center
The Program Officer from the SEAFDEC Secretariat, Mr. Witsarut Choseng, and the Fisheries Management Section Head of the SEAFDEC Training Department, Ms. Thanyalak Suasi, attended the “Global Plastics Summit 2023: Working towards a robust UN plastics treaty” which was held on 11–12 October 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand. Hosted by the Economist Impact, the event drew the participation of more than 500 representatives from various sectors in more than 100 countries. The objectives of the Summit were to 1) address critical issues in anticipation of the first draft of the UN plastics treaty, 2) facilitate discussion on the entire ecosystem among negotiators, businesses, health experts and scientists, NGOs, waste-pickers, investors, finance sector, waste recyclers, and policymakers, and 3) provide diverse perspectives and expertise through interactive plenaries and working groups by collaborating with senior leaders in the plastics sector.
The Summit focused on the plastic pollution crisis in coastal and marine environments in the Southeast Asian region. SEAFDEC, known for its dedication to environmental sustainability and regional cooperation, conducts related activities on research and capacity building in the fisheries sector to reduce marine debris and the application of scientific knowledge in regional policies and monitoring in relevance to “ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris.”