REPORT OF FAO FORESTRY COMMITTEE 2003

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ROME 001320

SIPDIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

USDA FOREST SERVICE FOR FOREST CHIEF BOSWORTH, V.
MEZAINIS, J. LEVIY AND D. INGRAM


STATE FOR IO/EDA KOTOK AND OES/ENV CASWELL, MCALPINE AND
BROWN
USDA/FAS FOR RICHARD HUGHES
NAIROBI FOR UNEP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC EAGR SENV FAO
SUBJECT: REPORT OF FAO FORESTRY COMMITTEE 2003



1. SUMMARY. THE 16TH SESSION OF THE UN FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO) BIENNIAL COMMITTEE ON
FORESTRYS (COFO) FEATURED AN INNOVATIVE FORMAT THAT
ALLOWED FOR GREATER EMPHASIS ON INFORMAL TECHNICAL
EXCHANGES ON TECHNICAL ISSUES AND FORESTRY PROGRAM AREAS
OF AND DISCUSSIONS ON ISSUES AND AREAS OF WORK OF
INTEREST TO THE COMMITTEE AND FAOMEMBERS. THE MEMBER
COUNTRIES SHOWED APPRECIATION TO FAO FOR PROVIDING
DETAILED PROGRAMS OF WORK AND BUDGET THAT ALLOWED THE
PROVISION OF DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM OF WORK
AND BUDGET ALLOWED FOR THOUGHTFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE
FEEDBACK ON MEDIUM AND LONG-TERM ACTIVITIES IN FORESTRY.
THERE WAS STRONG MMEMBERS COUNTRY SUPPORTED FOR FAO'S
NEW EMPHASIS ON ON THE ISSUES OF WATER AND FORESTS,
FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE AND FORESTS, FOOD SECURITY AND
POVERTY ALLEVIATION. DELEGATIONS MEMBERS ALSO SUPPORTED
APPLAUDED FAO'S EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN THE ROLE OF THE
RREGIONAL FFORESTRY CCOMMISSIONS. THESE EFFORTS INCLUDED
WITH A MULTIIT-REGION PANEL THAT DISCUSSED THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON FORESTS
(IPF) AND THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL FORUM ON FORESTS
(IPF/IFF) PROPOSALS FOR ACTION DURING PLENARY AND
RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT AND TO RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THE
PROCESS OF OF THE ROLE OF NATIONAL FOREST PROGRAMS AS A
TOOL FOR HELPING COUNTRIES TO BE USED BY COUNTRIES AS ONE
OF THEIR TOOLS FOR ACHIEVEING SUSTAINABLE FOREST
MANAGEMENT. BRAZILIAN DELEGATE, MR. FLAVIO MIRAGAIA
PERRI, BRAZIL, CHAIRED THE SESSION, AND ??? OF ??? WAS
1ST VICE-CHAIR. END SUMMARY.


2. THE 16THTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION'S (FAO'S) COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY
(COFO) HELD ITS BIENNIAL MEETING IN ROME, ITALY MARCH 10-
14, 2003, PRECEDED BY TWO, ONE DAY MEETINGS OF FAO'S
RREGIONAL FFORESTRY CCOMMISSIONS AND THE COLLABORATIVE
PARTNERSHIP ON FORESTS (CPF). THE U.S. DELEGATION, HEADED
BY THE USDA FOREST SERVICE CHIEF DALE BOSWORTH, COMPRISED
AMBASSADOR THE HONORABLE TONY P. HALL, PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME; VALDIS
MEZAINIS, DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS; JERILYN
LEVI, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR; DENISE INGRAM, ECONOMIC POLICY
ADVISOR AND DONNA JANISCH, PROGRAM ANALYST OF THE USDA
FOREST SERVICE; RICHARD HUGHES (USDA/FAS); STEPHANIE
CASWELL, (STATE/OES); JAN MCALPINE (STATE/OES); ED BROWN
(STATE/OES); JON ANDERSON (AID/AFR); ALTERNATE PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIVES LUCY TAMLYN AND ; KATIE NISHIURAXXXX; AND
PRIVATE SECTOR ADVISORS GERALD ROSE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF STATE FORESTERS AND MARVIN BROWN OF THE AMERICAN
FOREST AND PAPER ASSOCIATION.


3. FAO DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL DAVID HARCHARIK OPENED
THE MEETING WITH REMARKS ON THE ONGOING EMPHASIS ON
IMPROVED STRATEGIC PLANNING WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. MR.
HARCHARIK HIGHLIGHTED FAO'S EXPANDED INCORPORATION OF
INFORMAL SESSIONS AND SIDE MEETINGS WITHIN THE COFO
AGENDA. NOTE: THE U.S. WARMLY ENDORSED THIS APPROACH AS
IT THIS NEW APPROACH CONTINUES TO BE ENDORSED BY THE U.S.
AS IT ENHANCEDS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE WEEK-LONG
MEETING. END NOTE.


4. AMBASSADOR MR. FLAVIO MIRAGAIA PERRI (, BRAZIL),WAS
ELECTED TO THE CHAIR. AND ???, TO FIRST VICE CHAIR.
UNDER HIS PRODUCTIVE CHAIRMANSHIP, COFO DELEGATES
ADDRESSED A NUMBER OF TOPICS FURTHER DETAILED BELOW.

STATE OF THE WORLD'S FORESTS REPORT
--------------


5. STATE OF THE WORLD'S FORESTS REPORT DELEGATES
APPLAUDED THE COMPREHENSIVE SCOPE OF THE REPORT AND ITS
USEFULNESS AS A POLICY AND PLANNING TOOL FOR EFFORTS TO
ADDRESS SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF FOREST RESOURCES. THE
REPORT IS ONE OF MANY OUTPUTS THAT RESULT FROM ONE OF
FAO'S CORE MANDATES TO PROVIDE TIMELY MANAGEMENT AND
DISSEMINATION OF FOREST INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE. THE
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS CRITICAL TECHNICAL ISSUES SUCH AS THE
VALUATION OF HYDROLOGICAL AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
SERVICES FROM FORESTS. THE DDELEGATES ALSO UNDERLINED THE
IMPORTANCE OF FAO'S CONTINUED WORK IN THE COLLABORATIVE
PARTNERSHIP ON FORESTS (CPF) AND JOINED THE COMMITTEE IN
APPLAUDING APPLAUDED THE LEADERSHIP OF FAO ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR GENERAL HOSNY EL LAKANY IN THE CPF AND THE UN
FORUM ON FORESTS (UNFF),PARTICULARLY WITH REGARDS TO THE

ROME 00001320 001.2 OF 004

NNN
ROME 00001320 002.1 OF 004

MISSIONS
--------------

6. REGIONAL FORESTRY COMMISSIONS. THE UNITED STATES
SUPPORTEDAPPLAUDED FAO'S EFFORTS TO RECOGNIZE THE
IMPORTANCE OF REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS IN
THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF FOREST
RESOURCES. THE COFO ELEVATED THE PARTICIPATION OF THE
CCOMMISSIONS BY BRINGING THEM INTO INTERACTIVE DEBATE
POSING A QUESTION TO THE COMMISSIONERS REGARDING THEIR
ROLE IN IMPLEMENTING THE IPF/IFF PROPOSALS FOR ACTION IN
ADDITION TO THEIR REGULAR REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO
THE COMMITTEE. COUNTRIES WELCOMED THE INNOVATIVE APPROACH
OF USING A PANEL OF RREGIONAL CCOMMISSIONERS TO ADDRESS
THE COFO. A VARIETY OF SUGGESTIONS SURFACED FROM THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT WOULD LEVERAGE THE RREGIONAL
CCOMMISSIONS' COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES OF BUILDING
NETWORKS, FOCUSING TECHNICAL FOCUS ON SPECIFIC TECHNICAL
ISSUES, AND ENHANCING CO-OPERATION AT THE NATIONAL,
REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS. IN CONNECTION WITH THE
WORK OF THE REGIONAL COMMISSIONS, COFO SUPPORTED
AUSTRALIA'S A SUGGESTION WAS PUT FORTH BY AUSTRALIA FOR
FAO TO ESTABLISH A SMALL GROUP OF EXPERTS FAMILIAR WITH
THE IPF/IFF PROPOSALS FOR ACTIONS TO ASSESS AND ASSIST
THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSALS WITH COUNTRIES.

FORESTS AND FRESHWATER
--------------


7. FOREST AND FRESHWATER. WATER AND WATERSHED
MANAGEMENT ISSUES CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNIZED BY GLOBAL
RESOURCE COMMUNITIES AS CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL,
ENVIRONMENTAL AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. THE
EMPHASIS ON WATER ISSUES REFLECTS PRIORITIES EXPRESSED BY
THE U.S. DELEGATION IN 2001 DURING THE 15THTH SESSION OF
COFO. IT ALSO ECHOES PARALLEL ATTENTION IN 2003 THROUGH
FORUMS SUCH AS THE WORLD FORUM ON WATER BEING HELD IN
JAPAN. THE DELEGATES APPLAUDED FAO'S RECOGNITION OF WATER
ISSUES AND THE NEW ENTITY IN THE MEDIUM TERM PLAN FOR
2004-09. IN PARTICULAR, MEMBER COUNTRIES STRESSED THE
NEED FOR CAPACITY BUILDING AND INSTITUTIONAL
STRENGTHENING FOR IMPROVED CROSS-SECTORAL PLANNING AND
STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF DECISIONS IN OTHER
SECTORS ON FORESTS AND WATER RESOURCES AND THE DELIVERY
OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FROM THEM.

NATIONAL FOREST PROGRAMS
--------------

8. NATIONAL FOREST PROGRAMS. DURING THIS MEETING THERE
WAS AN THE FAO PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS OF
NATIONAL FOREST PROGRAMS (NFPSNFPSS) AND THE NATIONAL
FOREST PROGRAM FACILITY (NFPF). THE PROCESS OF SUPPORT
AND DEVELOPMENT OF NFPSNFPS HAS PROGRESSED CONSIDERABLY
INTO EFFORTS TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP PARTICIPATORY AND
MULTI-SECTORAL PROCESSES BY MEMBER COUNTRIES AS PART OF
THEIR OVERALL SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
ALTHOUGH THE UNITED STATES HAS YET TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE
FACILITY, THE FUNDING ARM OF THE NFPSNFPS, IT SUPPORTS
THE STRATEGY OF LINKING NFPSNFPS TO BROADER COMMITMENTS
SUCH AS THOSE FROM THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT:FIVE YEARS LATER
FIVE YEARS LATER AND THE WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT. DELEGATES RECOGNIZED THE VALUABLE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE NFPSNFPS TO CONTRIBUTE TO
ACHIEVEMENTS IN FOOD SECURITY, POVERTY REDUCTION
STRATEGIES.

FAO FORESTRY OUTLOOK STUDY FOR AFRICA
--------------

9. FAO FORESTRY OUTLOOK STUDY FOR AFRICA. THE
DDELEGATES PRAISED FAO FOR A HIGH QUALITY STUDY AND FOR
PROVIDING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF TRENDS AND
IDENTIFYING PRIORITY AREAS FOR EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS. THE U.

S. HIGHLIGHTED ITS MAJOR INVOLVEMENT IN INITIATIVES
WITH PARTNERS IN AFRICA THAT IN SUPPORT OF NATURAL
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS IN AN ARRAY OF ECOSYSTEMS.
THESE INCLUDE SUCH AS THE CONGO BASIN FOREST PARTNERSHIP
(CBFP) LAUNCHED AT THE WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT IN JOHANNESBURG IN SEPTEMBER 2002 AND A U.S.-
FUNDED HOSTING A MINISTERIAL MEETING ON AFRICA FOREST LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND GOVERNANCE, SCHEDULED FOR TO MEET IN
CAMEROON APRIL 1-4, 2003. THE U.S. THROUGH USAID) CO-
HOSTED A SIDE EVENT SATELLITE SESSION WITH THE CENTER

ROME 00001320 002.2 OF 004

NNN
ROME 00001320 003.1 OF 004

DRESSES THE LINKAGES
BETWEEN NATURE, WEALTH AND POWER AND THE NEED FOR LOCAL,
COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATION IN NATURAL RESOURCES
DECISION-MAKING.

REVIEW OF PROGRAMS IN THE FORESTRY SECTOR
-------------- --------------

10. REVIEW OF PROGRAMS IN THE FORESTRY SECTOR. DELEGATES
TO THE 16THETH SESSION OF COFO WERE ASKED TO COMMENT ON
FAO'S IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND REQUESTS FROM
THE 15THTH SESSION. MEMBERS COUNTRIES APPLAUDED WELCOMED
FAO'S ATTENTION TO PRIORITY ISSUES AND EXPANDED COVERAGE
OF THE ISSUES THROUGH SIDE EVENTS DURING THE CURRENT
SESSION. FAO WAS ENCOURAGED TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON ITS
ROLE AND MANDATE AS A NEUTRAL FACILITATOR AND LEADER IN
GLOBAL FOREST RESOURCE INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS. IN
PARTICULAR, MEMBER COUNTRIES STRESSED THE NEED FOR FAO TO
CONTINUE AND STRENGTHEN ITS LEADERSHIP IN THE
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP ON FORESTS (CPF) AND RELATED
WORK OF THE UNFF. FAO WAS COMMENDED FOR ITS WORK IN
DEVELOPING THE NATIONAL FOREST PROGRAM FACILITY AS ONE
TOOL FOR ASSISTING COUNTRIES TO DEVELOP PROCESSES FOR
NATIONAL PLANNING IN THE FOREST SECTOR THROUGH
PARTICIPATORY PROCESSES AND THE COORDINATION OF EFFORTS
WITH CRITERIA AND INDICATORS OF SUSTAINABLE FOREST
MANAGEMENT. MEMBERS ADDITIONAL EMPHASIDEMPHASIZEDS WAS
GIVEN TO EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RESEARCH AS CRITICAL TO
CAPACITY BUILDING AND THE NEED FOR STRENGTHENING ACADEMIC
INSTITUTIONS IN CROSS-SECTORAL STUDIES IN SUPPORT OF THE
SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS OF FORESTS.

DEFINING OBJECTIVES AND THE MEDIUM TERM PLAN AND KEY
CROSS-CUTTING AREAS OF WORK
--------------

11. DEFINING OBJECTIVES AND THE MEDIUM TERM PLAN AND KEY
CROSS-CUTTING AREAS OF WORK. DELEGATES APPLAUDED
WELCOMED FAO ON THE INCREASED TRANSPARENCY AND DETAIL OF
THE PROGRAM OF WORK AND BUDGET AS THIS THAT AFFORDED
MEMBERS COUNTRIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE PAST
RECOMMENDATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR FORESTRY.
ADDITIONS TO THE WORK PROGRAM INCLUDED ACTIVITIES
RELATING TO FORESTS AND WATER,; FOREST AND CLIMATE
CHANGE,; FORESTS AND , FOOD SECURITY AND POVERTY
ALLEVIATION. THE U.S. STRESSED THE NEED FOR RE-
DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS WITHIN CURRENT LEVELS OF BUDGET TO
REFLECT NEW EMPHASIS AND PRIORITY. DELEGATES SUPPORTED
FAO'S FOCUS ON HARMONIZING FOREST-RELATED DEFINITIONS,
TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO COUNTRIES OF LOW FOREST COVER,
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, EDUCATION, NON-WOOD FOREST PRODUCTS
AND SERVICES, AND FOREST HEALTH ISSUES. IN PARTICULAR,
SEVERAL DELEGATES RECOMMENDED THAT ELEMENTS OF THE
FEBRUARY 2003 U.S.- SUPPORTEDGUATEMALA MEETING OF THE
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN GUATEMALA ON THE CONTRIBUTION
OF CRITERIA AND INDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOREST
MANAGEMENT (CICI) BE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL REPORT OF
COFO. THE OUTCOME OF THE GUATEMALA CONFERENCE SHOULD TO
FACILITATE THE COORDINATION OF C AND &I PROCESSES,
TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND CAPACITY BUILDING AND TO IMPROVE
NETWORKING AND COMMUNICATION AMONG THE VARIETY OF
INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND PROCESSES THAT MEMBER
COUNTRIES MUST PARTICIPATE IN AND REPORT ON.


12. WORLD FORESTRY CONGRESS. CANADA PROVIDED SIDE
EVENTS, AN EXHIBIT AND PROMOTIONAL FILM AND DISCUSSION ON
THIS YEAR'S WORLD FORESTRY CONGRESS, TO BE HELD IN QUEBEC
CITY, CANADA 21-28 SEPTEMBER 2003. AUSTRALIA SUBMITTED A
PROPOSAL TO HOST THE 2009 CONGRESS.

COMMENT
--------------

13. FINAL THOUGHTS. THE U.S. IS QUITE SUPPORTIVE OF THE
WORK OF FAO'S FORESTRY ADG, DR. HOSNY EL LAKANY AND HIS
STAFF CONTINUE TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT IN FAO IN
RESPONSIVENESS TO MEMBER STATES AND PROGRAM EXCELLENCE.
'S AND HIS EFFORTS IN THE FORESTRY SECTOR. THE UNITED
STATES DELEGATION PARTICULARLY NOTED HIS APPRECIATES HIS
COMMITMENT TO THE RREGIONAL FFORESTRY CCOMMISSIONS,
INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO COFO AND HIS LEADERSHIP IN THE
CPF FOR EFFECTIVE PROGRESS WITH THE UNFF. THE DELEGATION
ALSO APPRECIATES FAO'S INCREASED BUDGET TRANSPARENCY AND
ITS FAO'S ADHERENCE TO ITS ROLE AS A NEUTRAL FACILITATOR
AND CONVENER ON CRITICAL TOPICS (E.G., C AND &I, NATIONAL

ROME 00001320 003.2 OF 004

NNN
ROME 00001320 004.1 OF 004

ELEGATION TO THE
SIXTEENTH SESSION OF COFO, BENEFITED FROM THE
CONTRIBUTION OF THE NON-GOVERNMENT AND USG AGENCY
REPRESENTATIVES WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE DELEGATION.
NOTABLY, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE VALUABLE INPUT OF LUCY TAMLYN
(STATE/FODAG),KATIE XXX (STATE/FODAG),RICHARD HUGHES
(USDA/FAS),ED BROWN (STATE/OES),STEPHANIE CASWELL
(STATE/OETS),JAN MCALPINE (STATE/OES)AND JON ANDERSON
(AID/AFR).


HALL

ROME 00001320 004.2 OF 004

NNN
2003ROME01320 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED