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Wiawi is an important turtle-nesting site in Vanuatu known for hawksbill and green turtles. The significance of the area came to light after independence in the 1980s following forest conservation interests by the Forestry Department, which resulted in the setting up of the Wiawi Conservation Area. With the support of the Wan Smolbag (WSB) turtle monitoring programme in the 1990s, the community of Wiawi embarked on interventions towards strengthening sea turtle monitoring and conservation in Wiawi through the request from Chief Timothy and his brother Chief Konel Nihapi. These two community elders had worked very hard to establish the Wiawi Conservation Area and invested their time and energy to making Wiawi one of the leading community-based turtle conservation areas in the country.

The Technical Cooperation Committee (TC), at its sixty-third session (10 to 12 July 2013), approved the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) covering the 2014-2015 biennium (TC 63/14, paragraph 3.26), which is reflected in the High-level Action Plan of the Organization and its related thematic priorities, as contained in resolution A.1061(28)

At its sixty-second session, in July 2011, MEPC approved amendments to MARPOL Annexes I, II, IV, V and VI which will institutionalize regional arrangements for port reception facilities in unique circumstances