UN Forum on Forests adopts agenda, appoints rapporteur and sets constrained schedule under austerity measures

The United Nations Forum on Forests adopted its provisional agenda and provisional organization of work by consensus at the opening meeting in New York. Delegations recorded no objections when the chair called for adoption.

The forum appointed Ms. Maria Sokolanka of the Russian Federation to serve as rapporteur for the twentieth and twenty‑first sessions; the chair said the bureau recommended her appointment and “I hear no objection, so it is so decided.” The appointment was made by acclamation.

The secretariat and the chair explained that, in line with a letter dated Feb. 25, 2025 from the President of the General Assembly, UNFF 20’s meetings would be shortened and parallel meetings reduced for this session. As a result, formal plenary hours were set at 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 3 p.m.–6 p.m., and requests for conference rooms outside those hours could not be accommodated. Time limits for statements were set at five minutes for delegations speaking on behalf of a group of states and three minutes for individual delegations; the chair warned that microphones would be muted to enforce the limits.

The chair and secretariat also explained practical modalities: written copies of statements should be submitted by email at least two hours before delivery to facilitate interpretation and posting; real‑time captioning would be provided during formal meetings; and a draft chair’s summary would be circulated electronically during the session with one additional week for factual corrections after the meeting’s close.

Delegations were informed that side events would be held daily in three rooms (Trusteeship Council Chamber, Room B and Room 7) from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and that the forum planned a concise chair’s summary as the main outcome, which may include proposals for later policy sessions.