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Fourth
Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests
Geneva,
Switzerland, 3- 14 May 2004 |
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Earth
Negotiations Bulletin
- ENB |
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UNFF-4 HIGHLIGHTS
Wednesday, 5 May
On Wednesday, delegates convened in morning and afternoon plenary
sessions to consider presentations on country experiences and lessons
learned in African countries. In the afternoon, Working Group I
discussed the social and cultural aspects of forests, while Working
Group II monitoring, assessment and reporting (MAR).
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PLENARY:
Panel
Members (left to right): Ruth
Mubiru; El-Hadji Sène; Grégoire Nkeoua; Judith
Mbula Bahemuka; Pekka
Patosaari; Yuriy Isakov;
Moncef Khane; Samuel
Nguiffo; Yemi
Katerere; Frank Kufakwandi; Tobias Takavarsha.
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Judith Mbula Bahemuka moderated the Africa Day session.
El-Hadji
Sène presented highlights from FAO's Forestry Outlook Study
for Africa.
Frank
Kufakwandi spoke on the constraints and opportunities in the implementation
of sustainable forest management and the IPF/IFF Proposals for action
in Africa.
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Africa
Day Panel:
UNFF-4 Chair Yuriy Isakov (Russian Federation) explained
that the outcomes of "Africa Day" will contribute to the
high-level segments of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
in 2004.
Pekka Patosaari, Coordinator and Head of the UNFF Secretariat, emphasized
the role of regional cooperation, highlighting recent forest-related
initiatives.
Moderator Judith Mbula Bahemuka (Kenya) explained that African Day
aims to: highlight the role of forests in rural development and
poverty alleviation in Africa; share knowledge and lessons learned;
strengthen SFM partnerships; and promote stronger African participation
in the UNFF process.
Listen
to:
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UNFF-4 delegates arriving for the the Africa day session.
Grégoire
Nkeoua, in his keynote speech, spoke
on the importance of regional cooperation mechanisms.
Africa
Day Panelist Yemi Katerere made a call for action on sustainable
forest management in Africa.
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Samuel
Nguiffo presented on the challenges of law enforcement and illegal
forest activities.
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Ruth
Mubiru reviewed the challenges and lessons learned of the tree planting
movement in Uganda. |
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Tobias Takavarsha elaborated on the role of forests in the implementation
of NEPAD and cooperation between NEPAD and UNFF. |
Gabon (above right) said forestry could attract investment if integrated
with other sectors.
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Monique Radiharisoa,
Madagascar, underscored the importance of evaluating ecological services
of forests.
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Senegal stressed the need to balance agriculture and forests.
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France commended the Congo Basin Partnership, and highlighted the
importance of long-term donors support in the region. |
WORKING
GROUPS
Hiroshi Kudowarned
that social conflicts can inhibit SFM.
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Above photo, left to right: Working Group 1 Panelists Jorge Illueca,
UNFF Secretaria; Chair Xolisa Mabhongo; and Yeme Katerere, Assist
Director General, CIFOR. |
João Maurício Cabral de Mello, Brazil, asking for the floor.
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Working
Group 1: Culture and Social Aspects of Sustainable Forest Management
(SFM).
Listen
to Yemi
Katarere CIFOR, presented the discussion points, including mainstreaming
of social and cultural aspects of forests in NFPs and SFM strategies
and considering lessons learned on decentralization and devolution
of authority.
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Australian
delegate Mike Macnamara participating in Working Group 1 discussions. |
Susan
Braatz, UNFF Secretariat, introduced the Report on MAR.
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Working
Group 2: MAR
Working
Group 2 discussed the Report on Monitoring,
Assessment and Reporting (MAR). Peter Holmgren, FAO, presented the
report on MAR. He underscored that although information is still
missing and that national capacity building is needed, there has
been progress on national forest assessments, streamlining and reporting,
and harmonization of definitions.
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Working
Group 2 Chair Stephanie Caswell.
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Denis Byrne (Ireland), spoke on behalf of the Eurpean
Union, Bulgaria and Romania.
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Canadian
Delegates Ralph Roberts and Mark Fullerton participating in Working Group 2 Discussions.
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AROUND THE
PALAIS:
Above
photo, second and third from left: Aarne Reunala , Director General
of the Forest Department, Finland discussing issues with Christian
Küchli of the Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forestry and
Landscape (SAEFL).
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Above
photo, left to right: David Humphreys, Open University (UK) conversing
with Swedish Delegates Elisabeth Corell, Elisa Peter and Gunilla Reischl. |
Indigeonous
representatives holding informal discussions.
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Delegates
and NGO representatives organizations meeting informally. |
Links
to more information:
- United Nations
Forum on Forests (includes UNFF4 documents and information on
previous Sessions):
http://www.un.org/esa/forests/
- ENB
coverage of the Third Session of the United Nations Forum on Forest
(UNFF-3), 26 May - 6 June 2003, Geneva, Switzerland:
http://enb.iisd.org/forestry/unff/unff3/
- SD coverage
of the Interlaken Workshop on Forestry, Switzerland, 27-10 April
2004:
http://enb.iisd.org/crs/forest/sdlak
- ENB coverage
of thePreparatory Committee for the Negotiation of a Successor
Agreement to the International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA),
1994 (PREPCOM II), 10-12 November 2003, Yokohama, Japan: http://enb.iisd.org/forestry/itto/prepcom2/
- ENB coverage
of the 35th Meeting of the ITTC, 3-8 November 2003, Yokohama,
Japan: http://enb.iisd.org/forestry/itto/ittc35/
- SD coverage
of the World Forestry Congress 21-28 Sept. 2003, Quebec City,
Canada: http://enb.iisd.org/crs/wfc12/
- Linkages'
Portal on Forests, Deserts and Land:
http://enb.iisd.org/process/forest_desertification_land.htm#forest%20enb
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