Recognizing the critical role of the blue economy in Southeast Asia, the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Southeast Asia Department, in collaboration with the ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility (ACGF) of the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund (AIF), and ADB's Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, is holding a virtual roundtable titled, "Accelerating Blue Finance in Southeast Asia," to discuss the Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies and its implementation in the region to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Life Below Water.

The event will also announce the launch of a new regional initiative in support of ADB’s Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies: The Blue SEA Finance Hub.

Objectives

• Discuss the Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies and the existing initiatives and financing mechanisms being implemented or under development in the region in support of such plan.
• Launch the Blue SEA Finance Hub. The Hub aims to address the challenges in mitigating oceans pollution and adapting to climate change impacts by developing bankable ocean health projects, enhancing capacities of national governments, subnational governments, and state-owned enterprises  by helping countries develop and finance blue projects.
• Bring together ADB’s developing member countries in Southeast Asia, investors, and providers of technical solutions to improve ocean health and achieve SDG 14: Life Below Water in the region.

Featured Speakers

• Dr. Ir. Arifin Rudiyanto, Deputy Minister, Maritime and Natural Resources Affairs, Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), Indonesia
• Ta Dinh Thi, Director General, Vietnam Authority of Sea and Island, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Viet Nam
• Norimasa Shimomura, Resident Representative, UNDP Indonesia
• Nirarta Samadhi, Country Director, World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia; Advisor, National Plastic Action Partnership in Indonesia
• Rahul Sheth, Executive Director, Standard Chartered Bank
• Ellen Martin, Chief Impact Officer, Circulate Capital
• Louise Heaps, Head, Sustainable Blue Economy, WWF 
• Ramesh Subramaniam, Director General, Southeast Asia Department, Asian Development Bank
• Xiaohong Yang, Chief Thematic Officer, Thematic Advisory Service Cluster, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, Asian Development Bank
• Jiro Tominaga, Country Director, Indonesia Resident Mission, Asian Development Bank
• Said Zaidansyah, Deputy Country Director, Indonesia Resident Mission, Asian Development Bank
• Anouj Mehta, Unit Head, Green and Innovative Finance and the ACGF, Southeast Asia Department, Asian Development Bank