The 4th Steering Committee Meeting for the preparation of the ROPME Strategic Plan was held virtually on 4 October 2023. The meeting was chaired by the co-chair representing the Islamic Republic of Iran, with participants including representatives from the Member States and CEFAS.
The Committee continued its discussion on the objectives and, after thorough deliberation, agreed to set aside certain objectives for further consideration at a later stage. Participants emphasized the importance of reflecting in the Strategic Plan the need to build institutional infrastructure and corporate arrangements that enable the Organization to operate effectively and achieve its objectives through well-balanced, targeted programs.
A technical presentation by CEFAS was made on the “Technical Programs” anticipated for the Strategic Plan. These programs were largely based on the five Concept Notes outlined in the Ad-Hoc Committee Report on the “Reorientation of ROPME Programmes,” which had been previously circulated to Committee members. It was agreed that the term “Program” would be used instead of “Strategy” for these Concept Notes, and the Organization’s various technical activities were regrouped under relevant programs. The Committee also decided that Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) principles and dimensions should be integrated across all ROPME activities and programs to reflect an EBM approach in planning and implementation. As a result, the EBM program will no longer exist as a standalone program
