The 1st High Level Meeting (HLM) of the AIS Forum 2023 is taking place at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center and draws participation from 29 countries and four international organizations. Heads of state/government of several countries are participating, including Micronesia, Niue, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, and Tuvalu.

The HLM will have four themes: adaptation and mitigation against climate change, promoting a sustainable blue economy, handling plastic waste in the oceans, and strengthening sustainable maritime governance. The Effects of climate change, including rising global temperatures with rising sea levels, have been threatening the very existence of small low-altitude island states, particularly those in the Pacific Ocean.

"Climate change is real. Climate change is a common enemy for island countries," Alexander Muhammad Khan, Indonesian representative to the AIS Research and Development (RnD) Conference. The AIS RnD Conference serves as one of four side events to the 1st High Level Meeting (HLM) of the AIS Forum.

In the RnD Conference, the AIS Forum seeks to bring together oceanographers, marine biologists, scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, and visionaries across the globe to present their breakthroughs and jointly find solutions to preserve oceans, a complex ecosystem regulating the planet's climate.

The Conference delves into a number of themes, including the 'Blue Economy', which the World Bank has described as an eco-friendly utilization of marine resources that aims to stimulate economic growth and improve welfare while preserving oceans, which constitute the planet's important carbon sink that can help mitigate climate change impacts.

Since its formation in 2018, the AIS Forum has made efforts to realize the Blue Economy, including the Blue Financing Strategic Framework, which will be highlighted in the discussion on the blue economy during the HLM. The framework document constitutes a tool that can guide businesses to invest in blue economic activities taking into account the social, economic, and environmental impacts

AIS Forum further highlights the importance of the Blue Economy by holding the AIS Blue Economy High-Level Dialogue on October 9, another side event for the 2023 HLM. This Dialogue is aimed at the world's political leaders, experts, and major business actors, to find solutions to ensure that all archipelagic and island states, including the least-developed ones, have the same opportunity to tap into the vast potential of the blue economy.

Another side event is the AIS Startup Blue Business Summit. Head of the AIS Forum Secretariat Riny Modaso says the event serves as a medium for Blue Economy entrepreneurs, or bluepreneurs, to connect with marine stakeholders, innovators, researchers, and potential investors. "By investing in innovative solutions, AIS participating states can protect their vulnerable ecosystems, suppress the effects of climate change, and create a sustainable future for their communities," she said on Sunday (October 8).

The AIS Forum also considers youths' ideas and aspirations in the efforts to protect the oceans. The AIS Youth Conference was held from October 6-8, drawing participation from 26 young delegates from 26 AIS Forum participating states. Deputy for Maritime and Energy Sovereignty Coordination at the Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Investment Coordinating Ministry, Jodi Mahardi emphasized that young people's ideas could help archipelagic and island states deal with challenges.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo inaugurated the 1st HLM, which carries the theme of "Fostering Collaboration, Enabling Innovation for Our Ocean and Our Future." Other state delegations are being led by deputy prime ministers, ministers, deputy ministers, and ambassadors.

Indonesia is hosting the 1st HLM, as an initiator of the AIS Forum which was formed on the basis of the Manado Declaration on November 1, 2018, during an AIS Ministerial Meeting.

Source: Antara News Agency, https://www.aisforum.org/