The 17th PEMSEA Network of Local Governments for Sustainable Coastal Development (PNLG) Executive Committee Meeting was held online on April 16, 2026.

The meeting was chaired by the President of PNLG and attended by the Executive Director of the Resource Facility of PEMSEA (Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia), the Executive Deputy Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General of the PNLG Secretariat, as well as representatives from Busan, the Repulic of Korea.

The meeting briefed the PNLG Work Results in 2025 and the PNLG Work Progress in 2026, reviewed and approved the next work plan and the application of Atauro Island, Timor-Leste for membership of PNLG, and discussed the preparations for the 2026 PNLG Annual Forum as well as strategies to motivate PNLG members.

The Executive Committee members acknowledged the efforts made by the PNLG Secretariat in preparing the meeting and expressed their sincere gratitude.

The PNLG Secretariat has been permanently headquartered in Xiamen since 2006, with the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Ocean Development undertaking its daily operations.

PNLG Work Results in 2025:

• Completed the election of the President of PNLG.

• Successfully facilitated the admission of Central Java province, Indonesia to PNLG.

• Conducted the 16th PNLG Executive Committee Meeting.

• Successfully organized the 2025 PNLG Annual Forum in Jakarta Province, Indonesia. The event brought together around 200 participants from nine countries, including Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam.

• Successfully convened the 2025 PNLG-PNLC Joint Workshop on Sustainable Coastal Development in Xiamen. The event was attended by over 70 participants including government officials, experts, scholars, and delegates from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Viet Nam.

PNLG Work Progress in 2026:

• In 2026, the PNLG Secretariat remains committed to actively promoting the concept of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) and successfully facilitated the admission of Atauro Island, Timor-Leste to PNLG. As of now, the PNLG has 61 members, including 56 regular members and 5 associate members, spanning 10 countries in the East Asian Seas region.

• To implement the Letter of Cooperation between PNLG and PNLC signed during the 2024 PNLG Annual Forum, the PNLG Secretariat has proactively planned to commission Xiamen University this year to design an Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) exchange event centered on the theme "Marine Biodiversity". This initiative aims to help enhance local governments' professional capacity in marine biodiversity conservation and integrated coastal management.

• The 2026 PNLG Annual Forum is scheduled to be held in Busan Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea from September 8-10, 2026. The PNLG Secretariat, in collaboration with the PEMSEA Resource Facility, is actively supporting Busan City Government in preparatory work, including developing and discussing the meeting agenda, division of responsibilities, and other related matters.

PNLG Work Plan:

• The PNLG Secretariat will advance the preparation work for the 2026 PNLG Annual Forum to facilitate experience sharing and exchanges among PNLG members, ensuring a successful event and expanding the visibility and influence of PNLG.

•  It will spare no efforts to promote the concept of Integrated Coastal Management and recruit more new members, facilitating the growth of PNLG.

• The Secretariat will make continuous efforts to promote exchange programs for Integrated Coastal Management. Knowledge-sharing platforms will be established to promote capacity building of PNLG members and enhance the effectiveness of ICM for sustainable coastal development across the East Asian Seas region.