FAO Activities 



16*" African Forestry and Wildlife Commission and 18'" Near East Forestry 

 Commission Khartoum, Sudan, 18-21 February 2008 



Summary report by Michel Laverdière 



Background 



Created in 1 959, the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC) is one of six Regional Forestry 

 Commissions established by FAO to provide a policy and technical forum for countries to discuss and 

 address forest issues on a regional basis. All African countries are members of the AFWC which meets 

 every two years. 



The 1 6* Session of the Commission was held in Khartoum, Sudan. It was for the first time jointly 

 held with the Near East Forestry Commission, which was created in 1953. This report provides a brief 

 summary of the salient points of the Session. 



The session was attended by 1 24 participants from 29 member and observer countries, and 1 3 

 observer institutions from regional and international, intergovernmental and non-governmental 

 institutions. 



During a week, the chiefs of wildlife and forestry exchanged information and debated on forests and 

 wildlife management issues in Africa; they also discussed current trends and policy issues relevant 

 to forestry and wildlife in the region; and advised FAO and member countries on policy formulation 

 and priorities for its forestry and wildlife programmes. 



Results and Recommendations: 



Sharing lessons from forestry and wildlife-related initiatives in Africa 



The Commission was informed on the different programmes and partnerships in the sub-regions 

 (with COMIFAC, SADC, ECOWAS and East Africa), and acknowledged FAO's continued 

 involvement in these initiatives. It supported the Great Green Wall for the Sahara Initiative, which 

 aims at addressing desertification and land degradation in the Sahel-Savanna zone of Africa. 



The Commission was informed of the establishment of the Afiican Forest Forum in late 2007. The 

 African Forestry Forum (AFF) is an association of individuals who share the quest for and commitment 

 to the sustainable management, use and conservation of the forest and tree resources of Africa for socio- 

 economic wellbeing of its peoples and for the stability and improvement of its environment. 



FAO forestry programme in Africa - 



The Commission was informed of the FAO forestry programme and took note of several examples 

 of activities to support the member countries in forestry and wildlife sector development and of the 

 achievements since the last Commission meeting. It was given an update on the FAO 

 decentralization process in Africa, newly established sub-regional FAO offices, their location and 

 staffing. The National Forestry Programme Facility and its facilitators located in Africa were 

 introduced to the Commission. 



Forestry Officer, FAO Subregional Office for Eastern Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P. O. Box 5536. 



Tel: + 251 (0) 11 551 3093. Email: Michel.Laverdiere@fao.org 



Nature & Faune Vol. 23, Issue 1 62 



