In Indonesia, the National Coordination Unit (NCU) has started to operate since July 2019. Throughout the time NCU Indonesia has implemented its activities and collaborated with Indonesia Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF). Meanwhile, the Regional Project Management Unit (RPMU) based in Bali started their operations in January 2020 and had not yet coordinated formally with the MMAF. 

Thus, a series of courtesy meetings was held on June 3-4, 2020 with three Indonesian MMAF Directorate Generals (DGs). They were DG of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance, Capture Fisheries, and Marine Spatial Management. The meeting objectives were to explain the regional component of ATSEA-2, to introduce the RPMU to the MMAF DGs, and to seek suggestions on how the programme can be synergized and integrated to MMAF program. 

In total, the meetings were attended by 75 people – 63 participants from MMAF and 12 attendants from RPMU, NCU Indonesia, and UNDP. For each meeting, both DGs and RPMU presented their programs and were followed by an open discussion. 

After the meetings, the DGs have a better understanding of what can be offered by ATSEA-2 and its limitations, while RPMU is more aware of MMAF’s priorities and concerns. Several activities that can be synergized, such as supporting the management of Fisheries Management Area 718; tackling illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, while collaborating with RPOA-IUU; and managing network of MPAs in the Arafura and Timor Seas, had been identified and will be further followed-up. Finally, both parties had assigned staff to further coordinate and collaborate. 

The courtesy meetings are an initial step to enable collaboration between MMAF’s DGs and the RPMU for a successful ATSEA-2 programme implementation.