Workshop Record| Recommendation | Announcement

Regional Workshop on Strengthening
the Asia Forest Partnership
30 August - September 2004, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Workshop Recommendation

Among the results of the workshop, participants agreed:

1. On organizational matters: to recommend to the next AFP meeting to start deliberating on concrete steps pertaining to the strengthening of AFP, taking into consideration the suggestions and views expressed by participants in the workshop as contained in the Record of the Workshop to which this Workshop Recommendation is attached. One important outcome of the workshop was the common view to formalize the structure of the partnership, from where partners may contribute in the partnership based on the agreed rights, roles and responsibilities. Although the idea of establishing a ”permanent secretariat” within the proposed structure was deferred, the workshop deeply discussed an Indonesia’s draft entitled: “Announcement on Strengthening the Asia Forest Partnership”. The participants were on the view that to move one step forward, the AFP must have a formal structure, standardized procedures, and mechanism on membership. The draft reflects among others, the chapters on organizational matters, membership, and partners contribution. The workshop agreed that proposed “Announcement on Strengthening the Asia Forest Partnership” to be announced at the 4th Meeting of AFP in Tokyo, December 2004.
   
    
2. On priority actions: the key issues highlighted from Illegal Logging and Its Associated Trade are:
   
   
   • Complete analysis to identify existing and needed legal measures in importing countries that enable them to prevent import of wood clearly identified as illegal (ongoing workplan, funded) and strengthen law enforcement on the ground.
   • Recommend development of a new workplan to build on the above workplan to promote active collaboration between customs agencies, development of information sharing protocols, and sharing issues and experience (TNC to facilitate with UK/Indonesia MOU Program).
   • Strengthen ongoing workplan on legality standards and wood tracking by involving other partners and review experience with other relevant efforts (CIFOR facilitating, funded).
   • Implement on-the-ground meetings in the field at some priority bilateral smuggling and illegal logging hotspots (e.g. between West Kalimantan and Malaysia) among key enforcement agencies, NGOs and experts (new workplan to be developed by WWF-Indonesia, which also is joining AFP. Not yet funded).
   • Convene a sub-committee of AFP Partners at AFP 4 (Tokyo, December 2004) to prepare detailed recommendations on co-ordination between FLEG and AFP.
   • In the meantime, AFP Secretariat to get views of both Partners and FLEG Participants (via FLEG Secretariat) through e-mail dialogue. These will form the basis for the sub-committee’s recommendations.
   • The governments in partnership with the corporate sector and the civil society to create the system to verify legality of wood.
   • AFP to set guideline, to establih world definition of legality of logging and timber trade.
   • Promote adoption and application of tools and standards for combating illegal logging and its associated trade (e.g. C&I for SFM, Certification scheme)
   • Promote international trading on wood product base on legality, public transparency and good governance.
   • Conduct regional workshop on forest governance and decentralization in the context of the priorities of AFP
   • To take into account and utilize the existing established initiatives and mechanisms within the Asian region that already have mandates in addressing the three priority issues under the AFP, and complement and support these ongoing initiatives and mechanisms in addressing these three priority issues
   • The AFP should move forward to intensify concrete actions in combating illegal logging and associated illegal timber trade at the national and regional levels
   
    
3. On priority actions: the key issues highlighted from forest fire and forest rehabilitation are:
   1. Forest fire, forest degradation and reforestation work in the region should be looked at in a holistic manner and any actions plans developed should again be done in a holistic approach by all parties under AFP and implemented collaboratively at the respective levels.
   2. Define and classify the different terminologies and get them harmonized for all parties in the AFP to work with, use existing and commonly accepted terms from other initiatives in the region or globally.
   3. Funding is critical, however in some sectors it is agreed that there already exists internal mechanisms (Indonesia) and that needs to be explored in detail to used, as they are sustainable and readily available. Apart from that other initiative such as ITTO, Kyoto protocol the CDM, Swap for the Nature exists so AFP needs to collate that information and make available to the members and partners.
   4. In some cases, funding for reforestation and forest degradation work is available but, there is no land to undertake the work on so that needs to be addressed again at the country levels by the specific project partners under the AFP with their respective Governments and local people.
   5. In terms of collaborative action to pursue the work plans , there is real need for all parties to accept each other and work together to achieve common goals and common results from different interests. The private sector involvement is crucial, so incentives and disincentives of such collaborative actions needs to be spelled out clearly and a true and meaningful partnership and that is based on trust and honesty developed between Government, private sector, NGOs and the local communities.
   6. There are already well documented research reports, data and statistics available. So the information sharing unit of AFP needs to compile and disseminate to all parties under AFP. If any further research to be conducted it should be based on “Action Research” in light to the current situation confronting us in the region.
   7. The various actions that AFP partners and members want to take will have to be addressed more specifically at the local and regional and sub regional levels in order to be more effective and to address the real issues at the ground level.
   8. At the various levels, many actors/stakeholders will be present, their involvement, roles and what actions they take needs to be clearly identified so that other parties are well aware to reduced chances of duplication or confusion.
   9. Investment atmosphere for the private sector involvement is important. Governments in the region to recognize the need for this partnership and allow for certain concessions to the private sector to allow to for long term security over their investment in order for the actions plan to materialize and bear fruits.
   10. key points to consider:
   • approach the issues in a holistic manner
   • develop action plans based on scientific facts and data
   • implement the action plans in a collaborative manner at respective levels
   • the partnership should be based on trust, honesty and respect for one another
   • the actions should be prioritized in order of importance and urgency
   • and the actions should be practical, realistic, clear and well focused

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