<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"> ENB @ ITTC-41, 6-11 November 2006, Yokohama, Japan; Highlights for Monday, November 6, 2006
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Forty-first Session of the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) and Associated Sessions of the Committees

6-11 November 2006 | Yokohama, Japan

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Highlights for Monday, 6 November 2006

Delegates met on Monday, 6 November, at the Pacifico Conference Center in Yokohama, Japan, on the opening day of the Forty-first Session of the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC-41). In the morning, delegates heard opening statements in plenary, and in the afternoon, they met in a Joint Committee Session and in sessions of the Committees on Economic Information and Market Intelligence, Forest Industry, and Reforestation and Forest Management. Meetings of the Bureau and the Fellowship Selection Panel were held in the evening.

Participants were generally satisfied that business is well underway, although some expressed concern that the rejuvenation of the ITTO under the new ITTA, 2006 agreement remains tentative, pending a substantial increase in funding.

 

MORNING SESSION
During the morning Council session, delegates heard opening remarks from: ITTC-41 Chair Koichi Ito, Japan; Hiroshi Nakada, Mayor of Yokohama; Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Cameroon; Ambassador Jörg Al. Reding, Switzerland; Kenji Tsuji, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan; and Ambassador Michael Maue, Papua New Guinea.

   
Hiroshi Nakada (Mayor, City of Yokohama) reiterated the support of the citizens of Yokohama for the ITTO and its work. Council Chair Koichi Ito (Japan) noted that sustainable forest management is still a major global challenge.
   
Manoel Sobral Filho (Executive Director, ITTO) introduced project proposals aimed at addressing forest degradation and deforestation, including illegal deforestation. Ambassador Jörg Al. Reding (Switzerland) noted that Switzerland is considering putting forward a candidate for Executive Director.
   
Elvis Ngolle Ngolle (Cameroon) noted commitments on illegal logging that were agreed at the First International Conference of Parliamentarians on the Sustainable Management of Central African Forest Ecosystems, held in October 2006 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Kenji Tsuji (Japan) urged all members to continue contributing to the ITTO and to support the ITTA, 2006.
   
Ambassador Michael M. Maue (Papua New Guinea) invited delegates to attend ITTC-42 in Papua New Guinea in May 2007. Steven Johnson (ITTO Secretariat) presented a background paper on the issue of wildlife trafficking, including from areas of tropical timber production.
     
David J. Brooks (USA) proposed that the criteria for the selection of the new Executive Director include a demonstrated ability to secure grants or raise funds from sources relevant to the ITTO. Daniel Birchmeier (Switzerland) stated that ITTO’s project experience could feed into the international debate on avoiding deforestation in the context of climate change. Enzo Barattini (European Community) cautioned against substantial changes to the selection procedures for the new Executive Director, noting that the procedure should not encourage a bias against any individuals.
 
Zhang Zhongtian (China) Luiz César Gasser (Brazil)
     
Ricardo M Umali (Philippines) recommended prioritizing the various actions that need to be taken before the entry into force of the ITTA, 2006. Ahmad Loman (Malaysia) Jon Heikki Aas (Norway) encouraged other countries to pursue their ratification of the ITTA, 2006.

AFTERNOON SESSION
In the afternoon, delegates met in a Joint Committee Session to discuss a range of issues, including the examination of ex-post evaluations and the Report of the 32nd Expert Panel for Technical Appraisal of Project Proposals. Afterwards, delegates separated into Committees on Economic Information and Market Intelligence, Forest Industry and Reforestation and Forest Management, and discussed completed projects and pre-projects, and whether to grant a cost extension to a Malaysian model forest project.

JOINT COMMITTEE SESSION

         
 
 
 
  James Gasana (Switzerland) chaired the Joint Committee Session.   Peter Schroeder (Germany) presented the Report of the 32nd Expert Panel for Technical Appraisal of Project Proposals.  
 
     
 
   
 
Rócia Silva Oliveira (Brazil)
  Domingo T. Bacalla (Philippines)  

COMMITTEE ON REFORESTATION AND FOREST MANAGEMENT

         
 
 
 
  Hermayani Putera (WWF-Indonesia)   Dato' Mokhtar Mat Isa (Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia) presented on the second phase of a project on sustainable forest management and development in peninsular Malaysia, which was completed pending financial audit.  
         
     
  Emmanuel Ze Meka (ITTO)   Petrus Gunarso (Indonesia) chaired the CRF.  
             
       
  Sapuan Ahmad Al-Haj (Malaysia) appealed to the CRF
for additional funding for the third phase of a project on model forest management.
  Alicia Grimes (USA)   Henri Félix Maître (France) was reluctant to consider the Malaysian appeal for extra funding.  

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC INFORMATION AND MARKET INTELLIGENCE

         
 
 
 
  Rosven Arevalo (Colombia)   Schadrak Ondoua Ekotto (Cameroon)  

COMMITTEE ON FOREST INDUSTRY

             
 
 
 
 
  Jung-Hwan Park (Republic of Korea) chaired the CFI.   Alhassan Attah (Ghana)reported on a project on technical manpower development for the Ghana Wood Industry Training Center.   Lauren Flejzor (Secretariat, ITTO)  
             
 
 
 
 
  Ma Hwan Ok (Japan)   Shaharuddin Mohamad Ismail (Malaysia) reported on an ex-post evaluation of a project reduced impact logging.   Tetra Yanuariadi (WWF-Indonesia)  
         
 
 
 
  Xuhe Chen (China)   Célestine Ntsame-Okwo (Gabon)  

SNAPS

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Related Links

ITTC-41 General Information and Supporting Documents
International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
FAO Forestry

Links to ENB/YMB coverage

ENB coverage of the Sixth Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF 6)
ENB coverage of ITTC-39
ENB coverage of ITTC-37