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Vol. 24 No. 25
Monday, 3 November 2003
THIRTY-FIFTH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL
TIMBER COUNCIL AND RELATED COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
3-8 NOVEMBER 2003
The thirty-fifth session of the International
Tropical Timber Council (ITTC-35) will meet from 3-8 November 2003
in Yokohama, Japan. The session will discuss, inter alia:
listing proposals for the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES); elements relating to the negotiation of
a successor agreement to the 1994 International Tropical Timber
Agreement (ITTA, 1994), including a report on a study on
internationally traded and potentially tradable environmental
services provided by tropical forests; the report of the Expert
Panel on Management of Project Implementation; progress on achieving
the Year 2000 Objective; guidelines for the restoration, management
and rehabilitation of degraded and secondary tropical forests; the
promotion of sustainable forest management (SFM) in the Congo Basin;
forest law enforcement in the context of sustainable timber
production and trade; implementation of the work programme for the
year 2003; review of, and contributions to, the Special Account and
the Bali Partnership Fund; and the Fellowship Programme.
The 33rd sessions of the ITTC's Committees on
Economic Information and Market Intelligence (CEM), Forest Industry
(CFI) and Reforestation and Forest Management (CRF) will also meet
to, inter alia: consider the report of the Expert Panel for
Technical Appraisal of Project Proposals; consider reports on
completed projects and pre-projects; conduct ex-post evaluations;
review projects, pre-projects and activities in progress; consider
project and pre-project proposals; and discuss policy work. The
ITTC's Committee on Finance and Administration (CFA) will convene
its 14th session to review, inter alia: the draft biennial
budget and work programme for 2004-2005; the status of the
Administrative Account; resources of the Special Account and the
Bali Partnership Fund; and the appointment of an external auditor
for the 2003 financial year.
The Second Session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom
II) for the negotiation of a successor agreement to the ITTA, 1994,
established by ITTC Decision 8 (XXXII), will convene immediately
following ITTC-35 from 10-12 November 2003 also in Yokohama.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ITTA
The International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA)
was negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The negotiation sought to:
provide an effective framework for cooperation and consultation
between countries producing and consuming tropical timber; promote
the expansion and diversification of international trade in tropical
timber and the improvement of structural conditions in the tropical
timber market; promote and support research and development to
improve forest management and wood utilization; and encourage the
development of national policies for the sustainable utilization and
conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources, and
maintaining the ecological balance in the regions concerned.
The ITTA was adopted on 18 November 1983, and
entered into force on 1 April 1985. It remained in force for an
initial period of five years and was extended twice for three-year
periods. The Agreement was renegotiated in 1993-1994. The successor
agreement to the ITTA (ITTA, 1994) was adopted on 26 January 1994,
and entered into force on 1 January 1997. The ITTA, 1994 contains
broader provisions for information sharing, including non-tropical
timber trade data, allows for consideration of non-tropical timber
issues as they relate to tropical timber, and includes the Year 2000
Objective to enhance members' capacity to implement a strategy for
achieving exports of tropical timber and timber products from
sustainably managed sources by the year 2000. The ITTA, 1994 also
established the Bali Partnership Fund to assist producing members in
achieving the Year 2000 Objective. Initially concluded for three
years, the ITTA, 1994 was extended twice for three-year periods, and
which will end on 31 December 2006.
The ITTA established the International Tropical
Timber Organization (ITTO), headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, which
provides a framework for tropical timber producer and consumer
countries to discuss, exchange information and develop policies on
issues relating to international trade in, and utilization of,
tropical timber and the sustainable management of its resource base.
The ITTO has 58 members divided into two caucuses: producer
countries (32 members) and consumer countries (26 members, including
European Community member states). The ITTO membership represents 95
percent of world trade in tropical timber and 75 percent of the
world's tropical forests.
ITTC-32 : The ITTC held its 32nd session in Bali,
Indonesia, from 13-18 May 2002. The Council provided funds to
facilitate input from, and participation of, a civil society
advisory group (CSAG) in projects and during Council sessions. The
Council also adopted decisions on: the ITTO's contribution to the
World Summit on Sustainable Development; a revised Mangrove Workplan;
guidelines for the restoration and management of degraded and
secondary tropical forests; forest law enforcement in Africa; SFM in
the Congo Basin; certification; and preparations for negotiating a
successor agreement to the ITTA, 1994. Member States pledged
US$8.129 million to fund selected projects and pre-projects, and the
Council approved 19 projects and 10 pre-projects.
ITTC-33 : The 33rd session of the ITTC met from
4-9 November 2002, in Yokohama, Japan. The Council adopted the
ITTO's 2003 Work Programme, and decisions on: public relations,
education and outreach; partnerships for SFM; prevention and
management of forest fires; measures to reduce costs and improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of the organization; extension of the
ITTA, 1994; and preparations for negotiating a successor agreement
to the ITTA, 1994. The Council approved 12 projects and 15
pre-projects. No pledges were made to fund selected projects and
pre-projects. At the session, the CSAG held a panel discussion on
the certified forest products marketplace.
ITTC-34 : The 34th session of the ITTC met from
12-17 May 2003, in Panama City, Panama. The Council adopted 11
decisions on: projects, pre-projects and activities; the management
of the administrative budget; the Asia Forest Partnership; C&I for
SFM; matters related to Article 16 of the ITTA, 1994 related to the
Executive Director of the ITTO and staff; negotiations for a
successor agreement to the ITTA, 1994; cooperation between ITTO and
CITES on broad-leaf mahogany; the management of project
implementation; the biennial work programme and administrative
budget; phased approaches to certification; and the expansion and
diversification of international trade in tropical timber. At the
session, delegates approved nine projects and eight pre-projects.
INTERSESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
PREPCOM I: The First Session for the Preparatory
Committee for the negotiation of a successor agreement to the ITTA,
1994 was held from 20-21 May 2003, in Panama City, Panama. Delegates
engaged in preliminary discussions on the scope of, and issues
pertaining to, a new agreement. There was general consensus that:
the successor agreement should remain a commodity agreement; the
ITTA, 1994 should be the basis for the negotiations; and relevant
new and emerging issues need to be included in the new agreement.
However, the nature of the issues and the extent to which they
should be addressed remained contentious. The proposals made during
the session were consolidated by an inter-sessional working group
and will be presented to ITTC-35.
UNFF-3 : The third session of the United Nations
Forum on Forests (UNFF-3) took place from 26 May - 6 June 2003, in
Geneva, Switzerland. Delegates addressed progress in implementation
of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests/Intergovernmental Forum on
Forests proposals for action related to three substantive items:
economic aspects of forests; forest health and productivity; and
maintaining forest cover to meet present and future needs. UNFF-3
adopted six resolutions on: enhanced cooperation and policy and
programme coordination; forest health and productivity; economic
aspects of forests; maintaining forest cover to meet present and
future needs; the UNFF Trust Fund; and strengthening the
Secretariat. UNFF-3 approved decisions on the voluntary reporting
format, and the terms of reference for the three ad hoc
expert groups.
ITTC INTER-SESSIONAL WORKING GROUP : The Inter-Sessional
Working Group on preparations for negotiating a successor agreement
to the ITTA, 1994 convened in Curitiba, Brazil, from 25-29 August
2003. The working group, inter alia: assessed the
distribution and role of conifers in international trade; reviewed
ITTO work on non-timber forest products (NFTP) and other non-timber
forest values (NTFV); assessed the extent to which NFTP,
environmental services and other NFTV are covered in the ITTA, 1994
with a view to recommending how these could be strengthened in the
successor agreement; proposed preambular language for the successor
agreement, a short list of overarching objectives and definitions;
and prepared a work plan for PrepCom II.
WORLD PARKS CONGRESS : The Vth World Parks
Congress (WPC) convened in Durban, South Africa, from 8-17 September
2003. WPC outcomes include: the Durban Accord and Action Plan on
protected areas (PAs), and an outline of implementation mechanisms;
32 recommendations; a Message to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD); a Protected Areas Learning Network (PALNet); and a
recommendation on Africa's PAs and the Durban Consensus on African
Protected Areas for the New Millennium.
WORLD FORESTRY CONGRESS : The XII World Forestry
Congress (WFC) took place from 21-28 September 2003 in Quebec City,
Canada. More than 4,000 participants from over 140 countries
attended the Congress. Participants represented the scientific
community, governments, international organizations, indigenous
peoples, non-governmental organizations and the private sector.
Thirty-eight Theme Sessions convened to address the following
topics: forests for people; forests for the planet; and forests and
people in harmony. In the Special Sessions, the conclusions of side
events were presented, including the Youth Forum and the Indigenous
Peoples' Forest Forum. In the Open Fora, participants engaged in
discussions on emerging issues. In the final General Session,
participants adopted "Forests, Source of Life," a collective vision
statement on the future of forests.
AFLEG: The Africa Forest Law Enforcement and
Governance (AFLEG) Ministerial Conference took place from 13-16
October 2003, in Yaounde, Cameroon. The objectives of the conference
were to: discuss ideas on forest governance; consider priority
issues; identify ways for stakeholder engagement; and adopt a
Ministerial Declaration. The Declaration asserts the Ministers'
intention to, inter alia: mobilize financial resources;
strengthen capacities; raise awareness of the impacts of illegal
logging and associated trade; address the re-establishment of good
governance in post-conflict situations; explore means of
demonstrating the legality and sustainability of forest products;
and establish and strengthen laws for hunting and bushmeat trade.
THIRTEENTH MEETING OF THE IAG : The Thirteenth
Meeting of the Informal Advisory Group (IAG) convened on Sunday 2
November 2003 in advance of ITTC-35. Participants discussed,
inter alia: Decision 5(XXVI), which created the IAG; the report
of the 12th IAG meeting; Decision 8(XXXIII) on preparations for
negotiating a successor agreement to the ITTA, 1994, in particular
the outcome of the working group held in Curitiba, Brazil in August
2003; and the council decision-making process. The IAG also proposed
that the Council consider four decisions on: projects, pre-projects
and activities; the ITTO Biennial Work Programme for the Years
2004-2005; disbursement of Executing Agencies Fund; and the
management of the administrative budget for 2003.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR
PRODUCER AND CONSUMER GROUP MEETINGS : The
Producer Group will meet in the Plenary Hall from 2:00–3:00 pm. The
Consumer Group will convene at the same time in the Committee Room,
Room 303 of the Pacifico-Yokohama International Conference Centre.
JOINT COMMITTEE SESSION : A joint committee
session will convene from 3:00–4:00 pm in the Plenary Hall.
COMMITTEE SESSIONS : From 4:00–6:30 pm, the CEM
and CFI will hold a joint session in the Committee Room, and the CRF
will convene in the Plenary Hall. |
