Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished delegates,
Dear colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to moderate this unique panel of the high-level segment of UNFF9.
I welcome the Heads of the fourteen member organizations of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests.
Your participation today once again demonstrates the commitment of your organizations as well as your personal commitment to supporting the work of the UNFF and its member countries toward fostering cooperation on forests.
I also welcome the Government Ministers here with us. Your engagement makes it possible to have a high-level dialogue between CPF organizations and Member States.
This is a special opportunity for you to hear each other’s priorities, plans, initiatives and concerns.
It will address three themes:
In the next hour we will hear from CPF members on each of these themes.
Then I will open the floor for questions.
Our dialogue today builds on the rich and productive discussions the Forum has conducted since the start of its session ten days ago.
We have assessed progress made on the implementation of the non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests and on the four global objectives on forests.
We have heard regional and sub-regional perspectives on forests for people, livelihoods and poverty eradication.
We have learned so much from country-led initiatives. I take this opportunity to thank Governments that have made presentations on those initiatives.
Today’s panel discussion enables us to have a focused discussion on the role of the CPF in advancing coherent and coordinated actions and initiatives in support of all types of forests in all countries.
I invite CPF members to share your views with government ministers on your work as individual organizations and on how to accelerate collaboration across CPF organizations.
Please maximize your time here….ask difficult questions and be frank in your answers.
Let me begin by inviting Mr. Eduardo Rojas-Briales, CPF Chair, to provide his introductory remarks.