Republic of Congo and Morocco to lead key forest initiatives through 2025

The recent Forum on Forests 2025 (UNFF20) meeting highlighted significant initiatives and strategic collaborations aimed at enhancing global forest management and sustainability. Key discussions focused on country-led initiatives (CLIs) and the importance of interlinking global forest goals with biodiversity frameworks.

During the meeting, it was announced that the Republic of Congo successfully organized a CLI on afforestation and reforestation in July 2024. Morocco is set to host another CLI in June 2025, focusing on technology, finance, and forest community development. Additionally, two more initiatives addressing forest fires and sustainable bioeconomy will be introduced at this session.

A major achievement discussed was the collaboration with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) secretariat, which analyzed the connections between global forest goals and the biodiversity framework. This foundational work aims to enhance coherence among various global forest-related objectives.

The secretariat also reported on its ongoing support for countries in forest financing, including organizing joint events with the presidency of COP 29. Efforts to improve data collaboration were emphasized, with plans to transform the Global Forest Financing (GFFFN) into a comprehensive resource for information and knowledge on forest financing.

A new online reporting platform was launched to streamline data collection and improve the quality of national reports, which are expected to contribute to a robust global forest goals report in 2026. The secretariat's outreach activities have expanded, including monthly updates and preparations for upcoming COP events.

Furthermore, the adoption of a General Assembly resolution on the UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation aligns with sustainable forest management goals. The UNFF secretariat, along with other partners, will facilitate the observance of this decade.

Despite these advancements, concerns were raised about the secretariat's resource insufficiency, which threatens its operational capacity. A forthcoming presentation will address the workload and needs of the UNFF secretariat, aiming to find solutions to these challenges.

The UNFF remains a crucial platform for shaping priorities and fostering partnerships in forest management. The collaborative efforts discussed during this session are vital for achieving shared global forest goals in the coming years.