APEC Forest Countries reaffirm support.

The delegation of the third Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry

By FIDELIS SUKINA

The third Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry which was held from Tuesday the 27^th to Thursday the 29^th  in October 2015 has reaffirmed support for previous meetings.

Within the three day meeting the Ministers and heads of departments for forestry in APEC economies discussed among others the continued support for past declarations.

Issued discussed include, supporting sustainable forest management; forest conservation and forest rehabilitation climate change and private public dialogue on mechanisms.

In the final ministerial statement presented on Thursday by Chairman of the meet, Papua New Guineas Forestry Minister Douglas Tomuriesa, he gave some insight into how APEC countries will be going about in a regional approach combating the issues.

“We encourage APEC economies to share information and best practices through Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet), and other bilateral and multilateral collaborations to support sustainable forest management, including the promotion of forest cooperation and policy dialogues within or among APEC economies”. Tomurieas said

For Papua New Guinea Tomurieas said that we needed to have better sustainable forest management, adding that meetings with Malaysia, China and Russia highlighted the important issue of planting more trees.

“During our bilateral meetings Russians invited us to go and see the module they have in Russia where young children are trained in sustainable forestry, it is important that our children at a young age learn how to manage our forests”. Tomurieas said

One of the main agenda’s illegal logging in APEC countries saw leaders recalling on past APEC meeting’s to further strengthen their stand.

“We recognize the 2012 Vladivostok APEC Leaders’ Declaration, in which leaders are committed to strengthen efforts to combat illegal trade in timber and other forest products; to implement measures to ensure sustainable forest ecosystems management; and to facilitate sustainable, open, and fair trade of non-timber forest products”.

“Enhance cooperation among APEC economies through the Expert Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade (EGILAT) to combat illegal logging and associated trade, promote trade in legally harvested forest products, and build capacity, building on EGILAT’s development of the Common understanding of the Scope of Illegal Logging and Associated Trade and the Timber Legality Guidance Template”. Tomurieas said