Present at the meeting were representatives of Australia, Philippines, Sweden, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico, Jamaica, India, Indonesia, Vietnam as well as France, as the host. France was very active in its support of the ICRI Secretariat during the last two years. ICRI is seeking to increase its ICRI CPC membership. Membership is automatic for countries that establish a national ICRI committee. This committee must contain at least two government departments concerned with coral reefs.
Countries planning to form such committees are India and Malaysia.
It appears that ICRI country and focal point nominations are made using national IOC contacts. These often represent oceanographic institutes or navy departments that have limited interests in coral reef issues. As a result they have received few responses for focal point nominations. The Ramsar Bureau could consider offering the ICRI Secretariat the list of Ramsar Focal Points for more effective collaboration and coordination between both organizations. With this possibility in mind, I prepared a Directory of the Ramsar Parties that have coral reefs.