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CMS Seventh Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests
United Nations Headquarters, New York | 16-27 April 2007
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Forest Forum Delegates Begin Deliberations

On Tuesday, 17 April, the Seventh Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests convened at UN Headquarters in New York to discuss the non-legally binding instrument (NLBI) on all types of forests, and the Multi-Year Programme of Work (MYPOW) for the period 2008-2015. In the morning plenary, delegates heard ministerial statements and a performance by the Young People's Chorus of New York City in celebration of the launching of preparations for the 2011 International Year of Forests (IYF), followed by a presentation of background papers on means of implementation. In the afternoon, delegates convened in two working groups to discuss the NLBI and the MYPOW.

Above: The Young People's Chorus of New York City sang for delegates.


Tuesday, 17 April
International Year of Forests


Ivica Grbac, Assistant Minister, Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Croatia, proposed an annual International Day of Forests.

Emile Doumba, Minister for Forests, Fisheries and National Parks, Gabon, said an NLBI must provide for appropriate means for implementation.

M.S. Kaban, Minister of Forestry, Indonesia, highlighted national pledges in support of the IYF.

Jorge Rodriguez, Vice Minister of Environment, Costa Rica, noted his country's achievement in doubling its forest cover.

Pembe Didace Bokiaga, Minister of Environment, Democratic Republic of the Congo, outlined national actions undertaken to ensure SFM.

Agnieszka Bolesta, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Environment, Poland, highlighted Poland's contribution to developing regional policy.

José Cibrian Tovar, Director General, National Forest Commission, Mexico, highlighted Mexico's long-term commitment to SFM.

Shamsul Momen Palash, Organization of Art for Children, Bangladesh, announced the launch of the Child Forest Campaign to plant one million trees.

Composer Jim Papoulis described creating songs with children worldwide, and drew parallels between raising children and nurturing trees.
General Statements

Sudan, for the African Group, called for a concise and action-oriented NLBI including a global forest fund and technology-transfer mechanism.

New Zealand called for the MYPOW to give prominence to regional processes.

Papua New Guinea, for the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, emphasized the role of regional collaboration.
Means of Implementation
Left: Gerhard Dieterle, World Bank Programme on Forests (PROFOR), introduced a background paper on means of implementation.

Right: Hosny El-Lakany, independent consultant, reported the paper's major findings on SFM financing and mainstreaming SFM into national strategies.
Left: Michael Jenkins, independent consultant, outlined the suggested structure of the portfolio approach.

Right: Mahendra Joshi, UNFF Secretariat, presented a paper prepared by the Bureau, proposing a global forest trust to fund implementation.
Working Group I (NLBI)

Working Group I, co-chaired by Hamidon Ali, Malaysia, and Hans Hoogeveen, the Netherlands, discussed the NLBI.

Nigeria, for the African Group, called for resources to meet the incremental costs of SFM.

Liu Xin, China, called for the NLBI to reinforce forests' role in reversing global ecosystem deterioration.

The Dominican Republic called for the NLBI to take into multisectoral approaches to SFM.
Working Group II (MYPOW)

Working Group II, co-chaired by André-Jules Madingou, Gabon, and Arvids Ozols, Latvia, addressed the MYPOW.

Cinthia Soto, Costa Rica, stressed implementation and attainment of SFM and the four Global Objectives.

Stefanie von Scheliha, Germany, for the EU, questioned the benefit of intergovernmental preparatory meetings.

Jerilyn Levi, US, highlighted opportunities presented by the MYPOW to transform the nature of future meetings.
Around the Forum

Delegates chatted during an evening reception hosted by the Mission of the Netherlands.

Related Links

United Nations Forum on Forests
UNFF 7
UNFF-7 Provisional Agenda

Related IISD Coverage of Forest Meetings

18th Session of the FAO Committee on Forestry, 13-16 March 2007, Rome
CLI in Support of the UNFF: Multi-Year Programme of Work, 13-16 February 2007, Bali
UNFF Ad hoc Expert Group Meeting, 11-15 December 2006, New York
Sixth Session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF-6), 13-24 February 2006, New York
CLI in Support of the UNFF: Scoping a Future Agreement on Forests, 16-18 November 2005, Berlin
Fifth Session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF-5), 16-27 May 2005, New York
CLI in Support of the UNFF: Future International Arrangement on Forests, 25-28 January 2005, Guadalajara
UNFF Ad Hoc Expert Group Meeting (AHEG-PARAM) 7-10 September 2004, New York
Fourth Session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF-4), 3-14 May 2004, Geneva

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