United Nations Forum on Forests

Abstract

The IFF concluded its deliberations in February 2000, and submitted a final report suggesting that forests were in need of a more independent organ, not linked to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). Negotiations were held to develop a draft resolution, which was submitted to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This was approved and discussions on the nature of the International Arrangement on Forests began.¹ The various action-related outcomes of the IPF and IFF were codified under a new International Arrangement on Forests, the primary objective of which was to ‘promote the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests and to strengthen long-term political commitment to this end’.² The six principal functions of this new arrangement were to: a) facilitate the implementation of the IPF/IFF/PfA b) provide a forum for policy development; c) enhance cooperation and coordination amongst relevant agencies and d) enhance cooperation and coordination internationally, through cross-sectoral North/South public—private partnerships at the national, regional and global levels; e) monitor and assess national, regional and global progress on implementation; and finally f) strengthen political commitment (e.g. through ministerial engagement).