67th CCOP Steering Committee Meeting

The 67^th CCOP Steering Committee Meeting was held at the Berkeley Hotel Pratunam, Bangkok, Thailand on 4-5 November 2016.  The Meeting was attended by 48 delegates from the following Member Countries (MC):  CAMBODIA, CHINA, INDONESIA, JAPAN, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, LAO PDR, MALAYSIA, MYANMAR, THAILAND, PHILIPPINES and VIETNAM.  Also present were Ms. Franca Schwarz, Chairperson of the CCOP Advisory Group, Dr. Yoshihiko Shimazaki, CCOP Honorary Adviser, and the Director and staff of the CCOP Technical Secretariat (CCOP TS). The Pacific Community in the Pacific Islands and Territories (SPC) attended as Observer.

Dr Adichat Surinkum, Director of CCOP Technical Secretariat; and Dr. Tawsaporn  Nuchanong, Permanent Representative of Thailand to CCOP and Director-General of Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).  Mr. Mior Sallehhuddin Mior Jadid, Acting Chairperson of the CCOP Steering Committee, Permanent Representative of Malaysia to CCOP and Director-General of Malaysia’s Minerals and Geoscience Department, officially opened the 67^th CCOP Steering Committee Meeting.

SIGNING CEREMONY – SPC as CCOP Cooperating Organization

Signing Ceremony signifying official acceptance of the Pacific Community in the Pacific Islands and Territories (SPC) as CCOP Cooperating Organization was held.   Representing SPC was Prof. Michael G Petterson, Director, Geosciences Division, SPC Secretariat and Mr. Mior Sallehhuddin Mior Jadid for CCOP.  Witnesses were Dr. Tawsaporn  Nuchanong, Permanent Representative of Thailand to CCOP and Dr Adichat Surinkum, Director of CCOP Technical Secretariat.

Ms. Patchara Sangoenof Thailand and Dr Yolanda Aguilar of Philippines were elected as Rapporteurs.

Mr Simplicio Caluyong, Project Coordinator, presented the report of the CCOP CO2 Storage Mapping Program (CCS-M).  He also presented an update on the CCOP-KIGAM Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources Project (UC) at the Meeting.  The Korea Delegation looks forward for the Project’s successful outcome in the year 2017 with the Member Countries’ continued support.

The CCOPTS Director tabled the CCOP Progress Report covering the period 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2016. The report included the administration and personnel, finance, technical cooperation and project support, technical activities, fellowships and grants, publications and documentations.

The Meeting endorsed the CCOP Workplan 2017  presented by the CCOP TS Director as well as the two initiatives proposed by Japan and Thailand respectively:  1) Compilation and Publication of a Revised “Magnetic Anomaly Map of East Asia 1:4,000,000” on CD-ROM; 2) Hydraulic Fracturing Guideline: Technical, Legal, Financial, and Environmental Aspects

The Myanmar Delegation informed the Meeting that Myanmar is pleased to host the 68^th CCOP Steering Committee Meeting on 7-9 March 2017 in Naypyitaw, Myanmar.  The Philippine Delegation reported that the 53^rd CCOP Annual Session and the 69^th CCOP Steering Committee Meeting will be held on 15-19 October and 20-21 October respectively in Cebu City.  On the occasion of KIGAM’s 100^th year anniversary in 2018, Korea is pleased to host the 54^th CCOP Annual Session and the 71^st CCOP Steering Committee Meeting on 28 October to 3 November 2018 in Busan, Republic of Korea.

The 65^th CCOP Steering Committee Meeting in Xi’an, China, November 2015 elected Dr Kyu Han Kim, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea as Chairperson, and   Mr. Mior Sallehhuddin Mior Jadid, Permanent Representative of Malaysia as Vice-Chairperson of the CCOP Steering Committee (SC) for the term January 2016 to December 2017.  In September 2016, Dr. Joong-Ho Synn succeeded Dr. Kyu Han Kim as Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to CCOP.   In this regard, the Meeting agreed that Dr Joong-Ho Synn, being the current Permanent Representative of Korea to CCOP, succeeds Dr Kyu Han Kim as Chairman of the CCOP Steering Committee with the term ending 31 December 2017.

The Meeting accepted in principle the concept of “World Happiness 2016 Ranking” in standardizing the member country’s annual cash contribution.  The Meeting further agreed to the recommendations of the SFC to have flexibility in the usage of “World Happiness 2016 Ranking” according to the country’s situation. Grouping may be considered, and members of each group may have discussion on the amount of annual cash contribution.

As proposed by the Thai Delegation, the Meeting accepted Ms. Franca Schwarz, former Representative of Germany to CCOP, as Honorary Adviser of CCOP.  Ms Franca Shwarz is currently the Head of the Sub-Department International Cooperation at the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR).