FO:LACFC/2002/9

1. Following the recommendations from the Expert Consultation on Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management, organized by FAO in collaboration with UNEP, ITTO, CIFOR and IUFRO, held in Rome, Italy, in November 2000, an International Conference on Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management (CICI - 2002) will be organized in November 2002. The Government of Guatemala will host the event, supported by FAO and ITTO, in collaboration with the Governments of the United States of America and Finland.

2. The main objectives of CICI - 2002 are to enhance development and implementation of criteria and indicators; foster political commitment for the application of criteria and indicators as a tool for sustainable forest planning; strengthen institutional capacity and stakeholder participation; and to contribute to the plan of work of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) and other international initiatives regarding indicators for sustainable development in the framework of the national forest programmes.