|   26 .11. 2007   |   Rights and Resources Initiative

The 43rd Council Session of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) was held November 5-10″ 2007 in Yokohama Japan. This was the first Council session to be held during the tenure of the new Executive Director” Emmanuel Ze Meka. One new emphasis that clearly emerged during this session was a stronger relationship in Africa and other regions.

An ITTO news release following the conference highlighted specific projects included in the US$ 9.2 million for the approved 2008-2009 Bi-ennial Work Program” including several new projects supporting community forestry in tropical countries:

  • A project to promote sustainable forest management in forest lands of indigenous communities in Darien” Panama;

  • In conjunction with the Common Fund for Communities” a project to provide rural village communities in Congo with training for extracting oil from eucalyptus plantations;

  • Achieving Sustainable Management of Mangrove Forests in China through Local Capacity Building and Community Development.

The Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG)” one of two external advisory groups to the Council” presented the outcomes of the July 2007 ITTO international conference on community forest enterprises” and the recommendations from civil society from that conference. The governments of Brazil (see presentation) and Cameroon both outlined the growing importance of community forestry to forest management and commerce in their countries.

CSAG also held a side event during the week to present their recommendations for supporting local communities and civil society to the Council for the next biennial work program. The CSAG closing statement from the meeting enumerated ways in which ITTO can strengthen ties to civil society and small communities” including:

  • The proposed thematic programme on community forestry;

  • The potential for new ITTO representatives in Latin America and Africa to provide greater outreach and dialogue with civil society in these regions” conducting capacity building workshops and networking activities to increase participation in ITTO activities.

CSAG confirmed its commitment to provide a strong civil society voice to the Council in annual sessions” in support to planning and implementation of ITTO activities” and in the upcoming June 2007 intersession to be held in Ghana.