Financial framework

In accordance with Article 31 of the Action Plan, the participating Governments agreed to establish a Trust Fund for the Protection and Management of the Coastal and Marine Environment and the Resources of the Northwest Pacific region, to be known as the NOWPAP Trust Fund. The NOWPAP Trust Fund is established to provide financial support for the implementation of the Action Plan adopted by the NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meeting (IGM).

The administration and management of the NOWPAP Trust Fund are governed by the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations. The expenditures of the NOWPAP Trust Fund are financed from contributions in accordance with the decisions on financial arrangements adopted by the IGM of NOWPAP. The NOWPAP Trust Fund is subject to audit by the United Nations. The Executive Director of the UN Environment, through his/her reports to the Intergovernmental Meeting, reports annually on the status of the NOWPAP Trust Fund. The revolving NOWPAP Trust Fund is maintained since 1995.

Voluntary cash and in-kind contributions from governments of Japan and the Republic of Korea support personnel and management costs of the RCU offices in Toyama, Japan, and Busan, R. Korea, respectively. In addition, Korea’s Coast Guard provides financial support to staff and operational costs of the NOWPAP MERRAC. A separate trust fund was established by the UN Environment for this purpose.

NOWPAP IGM considers and adopts the biannual budget prepared by the Regional Coordinating Unit. This budget is financed by contributions from the Member States, voluntary contributions from governments, and on a project basis - by supporting organizations.

The scale of Member States contributions to the NOWPAP Trust Fund in 2019, status of the NOWPAP Trust Fund Account (1995-2019), and the NOWPAP Trust Fund Budget (2020-2021) are provided in the Report of the 22nd NOWPAP IGM available here.