Fifth Regional Assembly, ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia Members Commit to Strengthen Solidarity and Voice of ICCA Stakeholders

Philippines - The 5th ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia Meeting (The 5th Regional Assembly) was held in Subic-Philippines (8/03/2024). This year marks the fifth time the ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia (SEA) has organized a Regional Assembly in Southeast Asia. This event is an important meeting point for ICCA SEA Consortium members to strengthen solidarity, report on work progress and current situations, learn from each other, and enhance member capacity.

"Currently, the ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia has twenty member organizations, 45% of which are Indigenous Peoples organizations," stated Paul Sein Twa, President of the Regional Council ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia. He hopes that with the participation of more than 60 participants, this member meeting can send a strong message to provide more space for indigenous peoples and local communities to become part of the ICCA Southeast Asia Consortium in the future. Moreover, the ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia is considered to have a strong commitment to expanding and strengthening ICCA work. Paul stated that 70% of the ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia's funding in 2023 was recorded as self-financed and separate from the Global ICCA Consortium.

Following the President's report, thematic work reports related to ICCA advocacy were also presented. Cindy Julianty from the Working Group ICCAs Indonesia, who is also the Advocacy Coordinator for the ICCA Consortium SEA, stated that, "The year 2023 was quite busy for us. We were quite active in conducting learning-sharing activities through webinars and capacity building, and we were also involved in several international agreement negotiation processes such as CBD including SBSTTA-25, Article 8j, Equitable Partnership Target 3, as well as UNFCCC climate negotiations, through our involvement in SB58 and COP-28. We interpret our presence in these processes as an effort to promote ICCA recognition, as well as part of our capacity building related to advocacy and international agreements impacting ICCA - Territories of Life."

Meanwhile, Gordon Jon Thomas from PACOS Trust, appointed to lead thematic defending ICCA, added, "The strategy we are implementing to strengthen ICCA advocacy going forward is also through capacity building and cross-issue approaches, so we are also trying to see opportunities in other international and regional policies in Southeast Asia, for example through issues of biodiversity, climate, business and human rights, certification (RSPO), Environmental Human Rights Defenders, and others. This year (2024) we will also continue collaboration to conduct collective advocacy with other alliances such as AIPP, Women4Biodiversity, CSO Forum, International Land Coalition, Rights and Resources, and the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB)."

This thematic work is part of the mission and strategic plan of the ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia, as stated by Amy Maling, Regional Coordinator. In the meeting, she presented the five-year strategy for ICCA Southeast Asia (2022-2027). "We must remember our shared vision and homework. This means ICCA in Southeast Asia is appropriately and fully recognized and strengthened by the custodian communities in their efforts for self-determination and ensuring the continuity of life territories," she said.

Furthermore, she informed that the ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia is still working to complete and refine the action plan this year (2024), "we all already have references (re: global strategic plan and strategic plan of Southeast Asia) which will certainly be our guide for further discussion. But our priorities are clear. We will continue collective work for advocacy, learning-sharing, strengthening regionalization through the secretariat, regional council, and members, striving for adequate funding support for work and membership mobilization, and strengthening solidarity."

Amy also delivered her farewell as Regional Coordinator of the ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia. She will end her duties as Regional Coordinator but will remain committed to supporting the ICCA Consortium as an Honorary Member.

Concluding the Regional Assembly meeting, Paul Sein Twa presented recommendations, including: 1) Encouraging the Global ICCA Consortium to have an advocacy coordinator who can bridge advocacy work at the national, regional, and global levels; 2) continuing the initiative to build a regional ICCA registration system in Southeast Asia, as well as supporting and strengthening national ICCA registration platforms; 3) continuing to strengthen the regionalization process and regional secretariat; 4) Continuing ICCA documentation in various formats; 5) Organizing more learning-sharing processes, capacity including fundraising; 6) Following up on the agenda to develop advocacy strategies and regional advocacy roadmaps; 7) Increasing ICCA SEA membership (60% Indigenous Peoples and Local Community).

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