Intervention by International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)
Agenda Item 3 (b) Policy discussions on the implementation of the UNSPF 2017–2030
UNFF1911:00-13:00, 5 May 2024, New York
Thank you, Mr. Chairman for giving me the floor.
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) extend our gratitude to the UNFF
Secretariat for organizing this pivotal 19th Session of the UNFF and preparing various
supportive documents that underpin our discussions.
Under Agenda Item 3, I express our sincere appreciation for the enlightening presentations& congratulate delegations who have shared the outcomes of several impactful initiatives,
reflecting the progress on sustainable forest management on a global scale.
I congratulate India for their commendable endeavours in hosting the Country Led Initiative
discussions on two crucial thematic areas: forest fires/wildfires and forest certification.
Supported by the ITTO, it is clear that fostering the exchange of best practices in these
thematic areas is instrumental in bolstering global efforts in advancing the Global Forest
Goals outlined in the UN Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF).
Mr. Chairman,
It is essential to underscore the pressing need for heightened collaboration and action, both
locally and globally, to mitigate the impacts of wildfires in tropical countries. Effective
capacity building is critical for this endeavour, encompassing knowledge exchange and thedevelopment of robust strategies for integrated landscape fire management.
I wish to inform the Forum, in this connection, that ITTO has been actively addressing thechallenges posed by tropical forest wildfires since the 1980s. ITTO has facilitated producer
member countries in bolstering their fire management capabilities and engaging incollaborative initiatives on a global scale.
1Our recent endeavours in fire capacity building include significant projects such as "Capacity
Building on Forest and Land Fire Management in Indonesia" in partnership with the Ministryof Environment and Forestry, and "Forest Fire Prevention and Response in Tropical Forests
and Forest Plantations in Peru" in collaboration with SERFOR. Each of these projects
received generous funding of US$1.2 million through Japan’s Emergency Support
Programme, for which we express our gratitude to the Goverment of Japan.
These initiatives underscore the invaluable insights gained over the past three decades. The
ITTO remains committed to prioritizing investments and providing continued support forcapacity building in fire management across our member states. It is indeed the ITTO’s
proposal for a CPF Joint Initiative on Forest Fire Management. We heard the requests fromthe distinguished delegate from the United States of America and I am sure they willdefinitely be discussed within the CPF membership.
Mr. Chairman,
Forest certification and legality verification are tools reflected in ITTO's commitment topromoting SFM practices, ensuring a balance of environmental, social, and economic
benefits. Through extensive support for capacity building projects and policy discussions onforest certification systems, ITTO continues to promote responsible forestry practices in thetropics, aligned to our pioneering work on Criteria and Indicators for sustainable forest
management (SFM).
In this regard, ITTO’s work over the years and more recently the ITTO's Legal andSustainable Supply Chains (LSSC) Programme has played a pivotal role in combating illegal
logging, promoting tracking and traceability, and advancing SFM practices in collaboration
with numerous partners. Through working with Initiatives such as the APEC Expert Groupon Illegal Logging and Associated Trade (EGILAT), the CPF Joint Initiative SW4SW andothers, ITTO’s LSSC Programme has significantly enhanced partnerships promoting
transparency, accountability, and legality in the timber trade.
In September, ITTO, its partners and key stakeholders, will convene the 2nd Global Legal &Sustainable Timber Forum (GLSTF) in Macao, to further foster networking, collaboration,and business exchange among stakeholders in the timber industry, aimed of enhancing
SFM practices, promoting legal and sustainable wood product supply chains, and facilitating
the transparent and sustainable trade of wood products.
Mr. Chairman,
The ITTO will host two side events during this session of the UNFF. The first event on forest
fires, will follow shortly after this session in CR4, while the second event, focusing on legal
and sustainable supply chains will be tomorrow, Tuesday, also in CR4. Distinguisheddelegates are cordially invited to attend both events, where lunch will be provided.
Mr Chairman,2

I am delighted to announce that ITTO has achieved accreditation as an accredited entity of
the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in March 2024, having undergone a rigorous review process.
We express our gratitude to the GCF and its Accreditation Panel for their thoroughassessment. The ITTO eagerly looks forward to collaboration with the GCF to address
members’ priorities in the three tropical regions.
I am happy to hear Australia’s comment on the need to ensure wood security, something
the ITTO had highlighted from 5 years ago. As an intergovernmental organization with abroad mandate in promoting the sustainable management and utilization of tropical forestsand timber products, ITTO remains steadfast in its commitment to collaborate with countries,
the UNFF, the CPF, and other international, regional, and national organizations to advanceSFM globally, supporting the implementation of the UNSPF, the Global Forest Goals
towards achieving the SDGs.
Thank you for your kind attention.

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