IISD Reporting Services at UNFF-3, 26 May - June 6 2003, Geneva, Switzerland

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SUMMARY

United Nations Forum on Forests, Third Session
26 May - 6 June 2003 Geneva, Switzerland

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Highlights for

Friday, 6 June 2003

On Friday, 6 June, in Plenary, delegates met to adopt the resolutions on substantial issues and UNFF-3 report and hear country statements. They adjourned UNFF-3 at 17.48 and commenced the first session of UNFF-4, electing UNFF-4 Bureau members. They agreed that UNFF-4 would be held in Geneva from 3 – 14 May 2004, and approved its provisional agenda.


CLOSING PLENARY: STATEMENTS

Ecuador drew attention to a meeting on indigenous knowledge, organized by the Global Forest Coalition, and to be held in Ecuador in November 2003.

Morocco, on behalf of the G-77/China, stressed the importance of effective multilateral action towards achieving SFM, expressed regret about the lack of participation of developing countries, and called upon the UNFF to move from decision-making to implementation.

The US highlighted UNFF-3's spirit of unprecedented cooperation, said that high-standard decisions had been made, and encouraged participants to work towards UNFF-4 with action-oriented enthusiasm.

Greece, on behalf of the EU and acceding countries, said forests receive too little recognition, and expressed hope that future UNFF sessions will continue to provide impetus to SFM.

SWITZERLAND expressed satisfaction with the overall result of UNFF-3 and said that Switzerland is committed to continue to contribute constructively to the global forest process, and will host the Interlaken Workshop on Decentralization, a country-led initiative organized in cooperation with Indonesia and other countries in 2004.

INDIA noted UNFF-3 promoted a better understanding on many issues, emphasized the importance of financial, technical and technological support from the international community in efforts to achieve SFM, and recognized the need to work collectively and with a strong sense of purpose.

INDONESIA thanked the governments of Japan and Switzerland for their important intersessional initiatives.

The RUSSIAN FEDERATION noted UNFF-3 has made it possible to achieve and better and deeper understanding of common endeavours to ensure SFM, identify the most acute and urgent problems which must be addressed, such as illegal logging, and identify possible solutions to these problems, such as the use of environmentally sound technologies.

MALAYSIA associated itself with sentiments of gratitude to, inter alia, delegates, Chair Mobeydi, the Secretariat and the government of Switzerland.

CUBA noted that the establishment of expert groups required for the successful implementation of IPF/IFF and MYPOW has made up to some extent for the difficulties faced with UNFF-2 and expressed concern with the increasing trend in this and other fora to avoid explicit reference to some recognized and indispensable principles, such as the need for ODA.

Pekka Patosaari , Coordinator and Head of UNFF, stressed that UNFF-3 indicated the willingness of many countries to implement the IPP/IFF proposals for action and built progress on lessons learned, and indicates the real progress toward SFM, although many concerns should be taken into account. Highlighting UNFF-3 as a turning point in history of the UNFF.

Chair Meybodi underscored the political will of all UNFF members to move ahead and advance the implementation of IPP/IFF proposals for action, and said this provides a solid foundation for the progress on SFM. He adjourned the third session of the UNFF at 17:48.