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Curtain Raiser Tuesday 7 September Wednesday 8 September Thursday 9 September Friday 10 September & Summary  



 

Highlights for Friday, 10 September 2004

The Ad Hoc Expert Group on Consideration with a View to Recommending the Parameters of a Mandate for Developing a Legal Framework on All Types of Forests (AHEG-PARAM) met for its final day on Friday at UN headquarters in New York.

Morning session  

In the morning, participants continued their review of draft report to be forwarded to UNFF-5, which was prepared by Co-Chairs Rollinson and Alban Duran.

 


 

Alain Chaudron, France, re-emphasized that the LBI and non-LBI options are not mutually exclusive and requested stronger reference in the report to strengthening the IAF by linking it with FAO and UNEP
 

Oleg Shamanov, Russian Federation, requested capturing in the report the needs of countries with economies in transition along those of developing countries.
 
 

Gregoire Nkeoua (The Republic of Congo), said that, for most developing countries, a lack of financing is a key constraint, encouraged that IAF sessions be regional and correspond with FAO regional sessions.


 

Juan Holguín, Ecuador, suggested strengthening stakeholder participation rather than formalize it, and favored referring to illegal trade in timber rather than illegal logging.

 

Hadil F. da Rocha Vianna, Brazil, noted that, since illegal logging is a domestic issue, the report should refer to illegal forest-related trade instead.
 
 

Conceição Ferreira, Ministry of Agriculture of Portugal, requested reflecting in the report that the options for a new IAF were not discussed in detail and clarifying the three binding options.


 

Xia Jun, State Forestry Administration of People's Republic of China, stressed that a binding and non-binding arrangements are not mutually exclusive.

 

Djauhari Oratmangun (Indonesia) stressed the need to not divide options between LBI and non-LBI.

 
 
Hans P. Hoogeveen, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands

 


 

 

From left to right: Manuel Rodríguez Becerra (Colombia), Pekka Patosaari, Co-ordinator and Head, Secretariat of the UNFF; Co-Chair Tim Rollinson; and Co-Chair Andrea Alban Durán


 


 

Afternoon session

In the afternoon, the Co-Chairs produced a revised text, which was adopted by the experts. As the meeting concluded, participants noted much common ground and points of convergence regarding objectives and substance of a new IAF. The need for substantive progress was emphasized and several experts stated that there appears to be consensus on the need to strengthen the IAF and for the implementation of commitments. The importance of holding informal consultations during the lead-up to UNFF-5 was stated and MEXICO offered to host a meeting for continuing discussions under a country led initiative in January 2005.
 

 

 


 


 


 


 

Jan McAlpine (US), commenting on the proposed Co-Chairs' text

Miscellaneous Photos:

Tony Bartlett, Director - ACT Forests

Frank Cantelmo (St. John's University) talking to Fred Manuel Batlle Río (National Forests Agency (INAB))

Franz Xaver Perrez and Sandra E. Limacher from the Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape

 

Mike Fullerton (Natural Resources Canada/Canadian Forest Service) chatting with ENB's Team Leader Hugh Wilkins

Delegates after the adoption of the revised text
 

 
 


 
 
Links to further information

United Nations Forum on Forests (includes UNFF4 documents and information on previous Sessions)
Documents and Reference Materials
ENB summary from UNFF-4: English (HTML, PDF, TEXT) French (HTML, PDF, TEXT)
ENB summary from UNFF-3: English (HTML, PDF, TEXT) French (HTML, PDF, TEXT)
ENB summary from the United Nations Conference for the Negotiation of a Successor Agreement to the ITTA, 1994: (HTML, PDF, TEXT)
ENB summary from ITTC-36: (HTML, PDF, TEXT)
ENB summary from Forests and Forest Ecosystems: Promoting Synergy in the Implementation of the Three Rio Conventions: English (HTML, PDF, TEXT) French (HTML, PDF, TEXT)
Linkages forests, desertification and land issues page, including a brief introduction to global forest policy


 


 

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