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OPENING PLENARY

Co-Chair N.R. Krishnan (India) recalled the work of the IPF at its first session (IPF-1). Since the first meeting, an interagency task force on forests, composed of various UN agencies, produced the documents for IPF-2. He said much interest is centered on these deliberations and urged delegates to live up to those expectations. IPF-2 should produce results that will provide a strong foundation for future work. Joke Waller-Hunter (DPCSD) highlighted activities since IPF-1 and noted that the financial situation of the UN has grown worse, which implies constraints on documentation and conference facilities. She highlighted the various country-led initiatives that will focus on key agenda issues and facilitate the output of the IPF. The Co-Chair noted that he and Sir Martin Holdgate (UK) will serve as co-Chairs. Juste Boussienuet (Gabon), Anatoliy Pisarenko (Russian Federation) and Manuel Rodriguez (Colombia) were elected Vice-Chairs.