Videoconference, 21 August 2026 – The Southeast Asia Regional Program on Combating Marine Plastics (SEA-MaP) convened its Third Stakeholder Consultation for the Development of the Synthesis Document and Implementation Roadmap for Key Recommendations via video conference.  The Consultation brought together representatives from ASEAN Member States (AMS), comprising members of the SEA-MaP Project Steering Committee (PSC) and PSC-nominated representatives, as well as the ASEAN Secretariat to further review the revised Synthesis Document and Implementation Roadmap to prepare for the document finalisation.

Building on feedback received during the previous stakeholder consultations, the Third Consultation presented the revised Synthesis Document and its proposed implementation roadmap. The consultation highlighted five strategic themes emerging from the analysis of recommendations across SEA-MaP’s 12 workstreams and presented proposed national implementation approaches reflecting different country contexts and capacities. At the regional level, discussions explored opportunities to strengthen coordination across relevant ASEAN sectoral bodies and advance collaboration in areas such as circular economy, standards, trade, and the blue economy.

Participants expressed overall positive feedback on the comprehensiveness of the Synthesis Document and shared national priorities and ongoing efforts to address marine plastic pollution. Discussions highlighted upstream prevention, monitoring of plastic pollution, prevention of plastic leakage at source, recycling, circular economy approaches, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as priority areas. Participants also identified data harmonisation, common standards, knowledge exchange, and sharing of good practices as areas where continued regional collaboration could further support national implementation.

The Consultation reaffirmed the value of the Synthesis Document in demonstrating the collective contribution of SEA-MaP’s workstreams to the ASEAN regional agenda while supporting continued action at the national level. Discussions also underscored the importance of continued regional cooperation and coordination among relevant ASEAN sectoral bodies and stakeholders to support the sustained dissemination, uptake, and follow-through of knowledge products developed under the project. Serving as a strategic foundation, the Synthesis Document offers recommendations for ASEAN and AMS consideration and further discussion to support RAP implementation and future ASEAN-led initiatives.

Following the Consultation, the revised Synthesis Document and Implementation Roadmap will be further refined based on feedback received from AMS and the Project Steering Committee, supporting the completion of this key SEA-MaP deliverable and its contribution to continued regional and national efforts to combat marine plastic pollution. 

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