Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 3 July 2025: The Fifth Meeting of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) of the SEA-MaP was held via hybrid format. It was attended by PSC members from nine ASEAN Member States (AMS), the ASEAN Secretariat, the SEA-MaP PMU and RISU, the World Bank, and Project consultants.

The Meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Ukkrit Satapoomin, Deputy Director-General at the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Kingdom of Thailand; in his capacity as representative of Chair of the ASEAN Working Group on Coastal and Marine Environment (AWGCME) and Co-Chair of the SEA-MaP PSC, and Mr. Ky Anh Nguyen, Director of the Sustainable Development Directorate, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Department, the ASEAN Secretariat in his capacity as representative of the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASCC and Co-Chair of the SEA-MaP PSC.

The Co-Chairs conveyed that the Meeting served as an opportunity for the PSC to review progress made since the 4th PSC Meeting of SEA-MaP held in November 2024, consider key technical deliverables, and offer strategic guidance on the next steps, where the Meeting’s insights will be essential to ensuring the Project’s continued progress and its alignment with regional priorities.

The Meeting discussed, among others, the overall progress implementation of the SEA-MaP Regional Project, and noted the outcomes from the Mid-Term Review (MTR); as well as milestones to be achieved going forward. The Meeting also exchanged views on several technical deliverables which are expected to deliver milestone progress and/or reach its completion in Q4 2025: 

1. Regional Guidebook on Phasing Out Single-Use Plastics
2. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Handbook and Customized Toolkit
3. Guidebook for Common Methodologies for Assessment and Monitoring of Plastic Pollution
4. Regional Platform for Innovation and Investments

The Meeting also discussed upcoming consultation activities for various workstreams, and the schedule for the next PSC Meeting, that aims to seek the PSC’s inputs and guidance on the development of knowledge products developed under the Project.

The SEA-MaP Regional Project is funded by the World Bank and contributes to the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN Member States, which aims to reduce plastic consumption, increase recycling, and minimize leakages to prevent land and sea-based marine plastic pollution.