Summary
On Saturday, ITTC-53 concluded its final day of work. The Council heard the report of the Credentials Committee, heard pledges to the Special Account and the Bali Partnership Fund, and reviewed the session reports of the Committees on Economics, Statistics and Markets and Forest Industry (CEM-CFI), Reforestation and Forest Management (CRF), and Finance and Administration (CFA). The Council elected Zhang Zhongtian (China) as Chair and John Leigh (Peru) as Vice-Chair of ITTC-54. to be held in November 2018 in Yokohama, Japan, and agreed to hold ITTC-55 in Lomé, Togo.
Delegates adopted decisions on: projects, pre-projects and activities; the ITTO Biennial Work Programme for the years 2018-2019; the Administrative Budget for the 2018-2019 Biennium; the extension of the ITTO Strategic Action Plan 2013-2018; amendment of Rules of Procedure and financial rules and rules relating to ITTO projects; ITTO Policy Guidelines on Gender Equality and Empowering Women; reconfirmation of further measures regarding the financial impairment; application of Article 30 of ITTA, 2006 (relief from obligations) to the Government of the Central African Republic; improving ITTO's financing infrastructure and fundraising strategies; and rotation in the framework of the selection of the ITTO Executive Director.
Chair Agyarko gaveled the meeting to a close at 12:17 pm.
IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from the 53rd Session of the International Tropical Timber Council and Associated Sessions of the Committees. Our summary and analysis report from this meeting is available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Ángeles Estrada
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Closing Session
Tabi Agyarko, Chair of ITTC-53
Gerhard Dieterle, ITTO Executive Director
Gerhard Breulmann, ITTO Secretariat, and Gerhard Dieterle, ITTO Executive Director
Victoire Eheth, Cameroon
John Leigh, Peru
ITTO Secretariat family photo
Council Session
Marjukka Mähönen, CRF Chair
Zhang Zhongtian (China), Vice-Chair of ITTC-53
Zhang Zhongtian Chair of ITTC-54, presents a framed gavel to ITTC-53 Chair Tabi Agyarko.
Jorge Malleux Orjeda (Peru), CEM Chair
Achille Orphée Lokossou (Benin), CFI Chair
Participants during the final session of the Council
Hiroyuki Nishiura, Japan
Catherine Karr-Colque, US
Mad Zaidi Mohamed Karli and Zurinah Pawanteh, Malaysia
Jobst-Michael Schröder (Germany), CRF Vice-Chair for ITTC-54
US delegates during the final Council session
Around the Venue
ENB team: Jonathan Manley (South Africa), Suzi Malan (South Africa), Deborah Davenport (US), Angeles Estrada (Argentina), and Keith Ripley (US)