US embassy cable - 05ROME1521

UNCLAS  ROME 001521 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
USDA FOREST SERVICE FOR FOREST CHIEF BOSWORTH, V. 
MEZAINIS, J. LEVI AND D. INGRAM 
STATE FOR IO/EDA KOTOK AND OES/ENV CASWELL AND MCALPINE 
USDA/FAS FOR LYNN REICH 
NAIROBI FOR UNEP PERMREP 
 
E.0. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, EAGR, AORC, EAID, FAO 
SUBJECT: FAO FORESTRY COMMITTEE 2005 AND MINISTERIAL 
MEETING ON FORESTS 
 
REF:  (A) STATE 042552,  (B) STATE 039649 
 
1.  Summary.  The UN Food and Agriculture Organization 
(FAO) Ministerial Meeting on Forests, which immediately 
preceded the Committee on Forestry, resulted in a 
ministerial statement calling on FAO to maintain its 
leadership role in the Collaborative Partnership on 
Forests and to report to the United Nations Forum on 
Forests (UNFF) regarding the outcomes of the Ministerial 
Meeting.  The 17th session of the FAO biennial Committee 
on Forestry (COFO) featured an address by the Prime 
Minister of Finland and Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai. 
The more than 100 members engaged in an innovative and 
effective format of formal and informal dialogues.  The 
members participated in sessions regarding technical 
issues and forestry program areas of interest, as well as 
policy issues important to the global forest community. 
Two specific issues addressed by the Ministers and the 
Committee were the international commitment to 
sustainable forest management (SFM) and FAO's role in 
meeting that commitment.  Members also provided critical 
emphasis on the need for increased international 
cooperation on fire preparedness and wildland fire 
management.  COFO's focus on crosscutting issues such as 
forests and bioenergy, other emerging issues and follow- 
up to the recommendations of the 16th session, 
facilitated members' deliberations on the Program of Work 
and Budget for medium and long-term activities in 
forestry.  Members supported FAO's continuation of 
enhanced roles for the Regional Forestry Commissions. 
These efforts included, in addition to the regularly 
scheduled Regional Forestry Commissions' meeting the 
Saturday prior to COFO, a side event plus a plenary multi- 
region panel that discussed their strengths and 
weaknesses and identified models of success where FAO and 
other international partners can engage in advances for 
addressing SFM.  End Summary. 
 
2.  Ministers and officials from 126 countries attended 
the Ministerial Meeting on Forests on Monday, March 14, 
2005.  The Ministers participated in two concurrent 
sessions in the morning and afternoon regarding 
international commitments to SFM and international 
cooperation on forest fire preparedness.  U.S. Permanent 
Representative to the U.N. Agencies, Ambassador Tony 
Hall, highlighted the need to commit to effective 
combating of illegal logging with examples of U.S.-led 
initiatives and partnerships such as the Liberia Forest 
Initiative and the Congo Basin Forest Partnership. 
Ambassador Hall also reiterated U.S. commitments to the 
UNFF process and to working with countries to develop an 
effective international arrangement on forests.  USDA 
Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the 
Environment, Mark Rey, participated in the discussions on 
forest fire management.  He emphasized the need for 
enhanced international cooperation on forest fires, 
especially for developing countries.  Under Secretary Rey 
also highlighted the U.S. experience with bilateral and 
regional cooperation that has been very productive and 
positive, as well as domestic developments that can serve 
as a model for other countries -- the National Fire Plan 
for protecting communities, forest and habitats at risk 
from wildfires. 
 
3.  A ministerial statement was adopted that called for a 
reconfirmation of commitments to the United Nations 
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Forest 
Principles and the Plan of Implementation on Sustainable 
Development (WSSD).  Additionally, key issues and points 
of emphasis within the statement included: recognition of 
the progress made in several areas of SFM; further work 
required in areas of law enforcement and governance 
regarding wood and non wood products, including wildlife; 
the need to strengthen political commitments on cross- 
sectoral cooperation, participatory processes engaging 
the private sector and civil society; continued 
assistance for developing countries to improve 
sustainable use of their forests, technical assistance 
and capacity-building; maintaining high level of global 
awareness about forests, including the upcoming UNFF5 
deliberations in May 2005 and recognizing the important 
role of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests in 
support of the UNFF; the need for greater attention on 
forest fires, their impact on ecosystems, as a management 
tool, economic and environmental impacts and context of 
 
 
overall sustainable development; the need to further 
existing models of regional and international fire 
management cooperation in research, training and exchange 
of personnel as key to bridging the gaps of knowledge and 
practice; and additional areas of progress and continued 
work in monitoring, assessing and reporting on forests, 
reducing duplication in efforts, addressing invasive 
species impacts, regional/international cooperation, and 
supporting the National Forest Program Facility. 
 
4.  The 17th Session of the FAO's Committee on Forestry 
(COFO) held its biennial meeting in Rome on March 15-19, 
2005, preceded by meetings of FAO's Regional Forestry 
Commissions and the 2005 FAO Ministerial Meeting on 
Forests.  The two U.S. delegations, in addition to 
Ambassador Hall and Under Secretary Rey, included the 
USDA Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth, Valdis Mezainis, 
Director, Jerilyn Levi, Assistant Director, Denise 
Ingram, Economic Policy Advisor of International Programs 
of the USDA Forest Service; Denny Truesdale of the USDA 
Forest Service State and Private Forestry; Lynn Reich 
(USDA/FAS); Stephanie Caswell, (State/OES); Jan McAlpine 
(State/OES); Alicia Grimes (USAID/ENGAT); and private 
sector advisors Michael Buck of the National Association 
of State Foresters, Mary Coulombe of the American Forest 
and Paper Association and Paul Elkan of the Wildlife 
Conservation Society.  The full delegation lists are 
provided in reftels. 
 
5.  Ambassador Flavio Miragaia Perri, outgoing Chair, 
(Brazil) opened the meeting and welcomed the remarks of 
the Under Secretary of Agricultural Policy in the Italian 
Ministry of Agriculture regarding the importance of 
addressing major issues beyond forests but also related 
to sustainable development.  Abdelazim Lirghani Ibrahim 
of Sudan was elected to the Chair, and David Rhodes as 
First Vice-Chair.  COFO delegates addressed a number of 
topics further detailed below. 
 
State of the World's Forests (SOFO) Report 
------------------------------------------ 
 
6.  Hosny El-Lakany, FAO Assistant Director General for 
Forestry, presented a brief overview of the SOFO Report 
and invited delegates to submit suggestions for the 2007 
report.  Delegates affirmed the importance of realizing 
economic benefits from forests and applauded SOFO's wide 
coverage, including experiences and lessons on enhancing 
benefits from agroforestry, the economics of wood energy, 
invasive species, and the links between violent conflict 
and forested regions.  FAO was commended for the 
extensive number of outside collaborators involved in the 
preparation of the Report.  Two themes came out of the 
discussion for FAO to consider in its next report: the 
role of ecological services and national forest resources 
accounting. 
 
7.  Dale Bosworth, Chief of the USDA Forest Service, gave 
opening remarks on behalf of the U.S. Delegation that 
underscored the importance of addressing fire 
preparedness and wildland fire management and their 
contribution to meeting the internationally agreed 
development goals such as those of the Millennium 
Declaration.  He also emphasized the role of forestry and 
wildlife management in international development, 
including that local communities are a key knowledge 
base, and that initiatives (such as those in the United 
States) reflecting the diverse ownership objectives and 
community are key.  Chief Bosworth also recognized FAO's 
accomplishments with the SOFO Report and its reflection 
of recommendations from the 16th session of COFO and the 
insight and review of topics such as forest governance, 
international forest policy dialogue and forest 
contributions to sustainable forest management. 
 
Regional Forestry Commissions 
----------------------------------- 
 
8.  The United States supported FAO's conclusion that the 
Regional Commissions are vital to the institutions and 
partnerships for achieving sustainable management of 
forest resources.  FAO included a separate side event for 
the Commissions, in addition to the multi-region panel to 
address COFO during the plenary sessions.  The delegates 
supported recommendations to FAO for increased support to 
 
 
the Regional Offices and their work with the Commissions. 
Delegates also appreciated the achievements of the 
Commissions and suggestions to utilize working groups 
structures along thematic lines, such as (but not limited 
to): fire management, invasive species, wildlife 
management and bushmeat, forestry education and illegal 
logging.  A variety of suggestions surfaced to build on 
the synergies among the regions and other international 
organizations to increase cross-sectoral activities.  In 
particular, the delegates urged FAO to support 
reactivation of the "Silva Mediterranea" and 
Mediterranean forestry questions by the Africa Forest and 
Wildlife Commission, the European Forestry Commission and 
the Near East Forestry Commission. 
 
Forest Fire Preparedness 
----------------------------- 
 
9.  Delegates commended and expressed appreciation to FAO 
for including the topic of forest fires on the agendas 
for both COFO and the Ministerial Meeting on Forests. 
They noted the importance of recognizing the different 
roles that fires play in different forest types and that 
countries have complex arrays of social, economic and 
environmental values that drive potential fire management 
solutions.  Member countries emphasized the need for 
stakeholder involvement and community-based approaches 
for effective fire management, including public 
awareness, education, preparedness, suppression and 
rehabilitation.  Delegates recognized the importance of 
fire management as a national responsibility, while 
highlighting excellent models of regional and 
international partnerships that other countries can use 
to address forest fire preparedness and management. 
 
10.  FAO was encouraged to recognize the special needs of 
developing countries and to include forest fire 
management in the dialogue with international assistance 
sources.  The United States underscored key points made 
by Canada -- as Chair of, and on behalf of the North 
American Forestry Commission -- that FAO should help 
countries strengthen existing mechanisms for 
collaboration on forest fires, such as bilateral and 
regional agreements, but that resources and effective 
solutions would not be best served by adopting an 
international fire accord.  There were robust discussions 
during the COFO plenary on this subject and the different 
views were noted.  Several of the leading regional and 
international strategies for cooperation on forest fire 
management were noted, including the United States and 
our three-pronged approach of planning, training and 
research.  Examples of U.S. work in these areas with 
countries such as Brazil, Costa Rica, China, India, 
Honduras, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Vietnam, Australia, 
New Zealand and Indonesia, were cited. 
 
The Role of Forests and the Millennium Development Goals 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
11.  The FAO was commended for its role in demonstrating 
the importance of forests in addressing internationally 
agreed development goals such as those in the Millennium 
Declaration, and its work on guidelines to enhance the 
contributions of forestry to poverty alleviation and food 
security.  The United States strongly urged FAO to 
integrate forests and agroforestry into Poverty Reduction 
Strategy Papers, and with other delegates recommended 
that FAO improve inter-sectoral cooperation and 
coordination on the national level.  Recommendations to 
the FAO by the delegates included strengthened technical 
assistance on governance, institutional frameworks and 
sustainable community-based management; further work with 
the Collaborative Partnership on Forests to collect, 
analyze and disseminate data on forests that raise 
awareness and demonstrate their contributions to 
development goals.  Delegates recommended that FAO place 
a focus on quantifying and capturing the economic value 
of environmental services provided by forests.  It was 
also noted that Brisbane, Australia, would host the XXII 
IUFRO World Congress in August of 2005. 
 
Defining Objectives and the Medium-Term Plan and Key 
Crosscutting Areas of Work 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
12.  Delegates welcomed the opportunity to comment on the 
FAO Program of Work and provide feedback and 
recommendations to the Forestry Department.  They agreed 
that a new focus on bioenergy was important and should be 
included in an integrated approach to related issues. 
Delegates recommended that FAO continue to draw on its 
comparative strengths, taking a leadership role in the 
Collaborative Partnerships on Forests and future 
international arrangements on forests.  They also 
commented that the provision of technical assistance, 
capacity-building and knowledge dissemination on best 
practices continue to be important to FAO's participation 
on key areas of focus.  These areas include monitoring, 
assessment and reporting on forests, development of 
national forest programs, and the interactions between 
forests and water, climate change, combating 
desertification, halting land degradation, drought, 
bioenergy, poverty alleviation, food security, 
participatory forestry and sustainable livelihoods. 
Delegates also requested that FAO increase allocations of 
resources in its work program to the Regional Forestry 
Commissions.  With regard to the budget, member countries 
held diverse views on the future trends in resources, 
with the United States encouraging FAO to give more 
emphasis to forestry within its current budget. 
 
XII World Forestry Congress 
--------------------------------- 
 
13.  The Governments of Panama and Argentina submitted 
requests to host the XII World Forestry Congress in 2009. 
FAO will take forward formal presentations of their 
proposals to the FAO Council in June for selection. 
 
Post-Tsunami Rehabilitation and Reconstruction 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
14. Delegates urged FAO to play a leading role through 
its regional offices in an integrated approach to coastal 
area management and restoration of livelihoods through 
forest-related rehabilitation activities with other 
international organizations. 
 
HALL 
 
 
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 2005ROME01521 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED