ENB @ UNFF (UN Headquarters, New York, June 11-22 2001)

United Nations Forum on Forests
First Substantive Meeting
UN Headquarters, New York, USA 11-22 June 2001

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Update for Thursday, 14 June

On the fourth day of UNFF-1, delegates discussed a draft decision on the multi-year programme of work (MYPOW), first in Plenary and then in the Working Group on the MYPOW. Discussions focused largely on NGO participation in relation to the draft decision.

PLENARY

Chair Mubarak introduced the draft decision on the MYPOW prepared by the Bureau. He stressed that the Bureau based the text strictly on the delegations' input. He proposed that NGOs be allowed to provide comments before negotiations on the text begin.

IRAN, on behalf of the G-77/CHINA, objected to NGO comment on the draft text.

BRAZIL said there was no harm in listening to NGO comments

Chair Mubarak said that inviting NGOs to provide comments prior to negotiation of the draft decision would be in line with the ECOSOC rules of procedure. After informal consultations, Chair Mubarak announced agreement that NGOs would be able to make comments on general issues but not on the actual draft text.

The GLOBAL FOREST POLICY PROJECT (GFPP) expressed confusion about delegates' preferences regarding NGO participation and reserved his comments on the MYPOW.

The US stated that different countries have different views on what should be included in the MYPOW. She said some actions and strategies in the MYPOW might be more appropriate in the PoA, and suggested it would be more constructive to consider the PoA and CPF drafts together with the MYPOW draft. She noted that participation and transparency seemed to be missing from the MYPOW draft and wondered if these issues were adequately addressed in the PoA.

CANADA encouraged NGOs to deliver comments, stressing the need to incorporate their views in preparing negotiations on the MYPOW.

SOUTH AFRICA called on NGOs to suggest modalities for including indigenous people in the UNFF and ways to take their concerns into account and facilitate their participation.
WWF highlighted the importance of including all forest values – economic, environmental and social – when considering conservation at UNFF-2, and said the integration of these issues would be particularly relevant to the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

MYPOW WORKING GROUP:

Chair Øistad responded that NGOs are allowed to attend as observers but not to take the floor. The Conference Secretary clarified that, according to the rules of procedure, working group discussions are closed to NGOs unless all delegations accept their attendance. Chair Øistad suggested that NGOs remain in the Working Group as there had been no stated opposition.

NEW ZEALAND urged that the MYPOW and PoA be approved at UNFF-1 in order to catalyze implementation of proposals that have existed for more than five years. He proposed that national reporting and intersessional meetings be incorporated into the MYPOW to facilitate implementation. He remarked that holding a ministerial segment at UNFF-2 would be premature and that developing parameters for a legally-binding instrument at UNFF-3 would also be premature. He stressed that the development of harmonized criteria for reporting cannot wait until UNFF-3.


SIDE EVENT: Financing Sustainable Forest Management (Oslo Workshop)

	Knut Øistad (Norway) moderated the side event on Financing Sustainable Forest Management with Mafa Chipeta (CIFOR) and Markku Simula (INDUFOR) as the main speakers. The event discussed progressed made during the Oslo Workshop as well as the availability of various financial resources for forest. The report on the Oslo Workshop is available at CIFOR in both hard copy and CD-Rom formats. Photos Clockwise: Knut Øistad (Norway) moderator of the event, Mafa Chipeta (CIFOR) promoting the report of the Oslo Workshop, The dias during the event with Markku Simula of INDUFOR (far right)