The PERSGA Ministerial Council held its 14th Meeting on 24 March 2011 in Aqaba, Jordan. The ministerial meeting, which was preceded by PERSGA Focal Points Session on 22 March 2011, has assessed performance and achievements during 2010, and discussed and approved PERSGA work-plan for the biennium 2011-2012.
The opening session of the Meeting was addressed by HRH Prince Turki Bin Nasser Bin Abdulaziz (President of Meteorology and Environment- PME in Saudi Arabia and the presently Head of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment –CAMRE), HE Mr. Taher Al-Sahkhshier (Minister of Environment in Jordan), HE Dr. Mubarak Saleem Mabrouk (State Minister of Environment, Forestry and Physical Planning in Sudan), HE Mr. Tareq Madadha (Deputy of Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority-ASEZA- in Jordan), and HE Prof. Ziad Abu Ghararah (PERSGA Secretary General. The session was attended by many participants and observers including delegates from PERSGA countries, and the Jordanian government institutes, private and public sectors in Aqaba.

The Meeting recommendations and resolutions have mainly focused on:

• Sustain improvement of the Annual Training Program as a major tool for PERSGA to cope with the indispensable needs for building regional capacities and technology transfer, as well as addressing emerging issues and concerns.
• Extending the on-ground activities (demo projects) as an efficient tool to address the goals of sustainable development and implementing the ecosystem approach.
• Implementation of regional indicators for measuring progress in implanting the Regional Action Plan and sustainable development in coastal zones
• Adoption of the Regional MoU on Port State Control.
• Adoption of Regional Strategy for Ballast Water Management.
• Development of the Regional Strategy for Reduction of Unintentional emission of Persistent Organic Compounds (POPs) in the coastal zone.
• Development of a regional MoU for mechanisms of coordination and cooperation in fisheries management in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
• Implementation of joined projects and collaborations during the biennium 2011/2010 with several organizations including WB, IMO, FAO, UNEP, UNIDO, UNESCO/IOC, ISECSO and others. Implementation the Regional Strategy for Adaptations to Climate Change through the different components of PERSGA program.
• Execution of the regional monitoring and habitat surveys programs, and the regular process of integrated assessment of coastal and marine environment
• Adoption of the ecosystem approach in fisheries management and marine managed areas.
• Strengthen the regional network for Contingency Planning and Response to Marine Pollution Incidents.