TFAP update
New coordinator named Jean Clement, a French national, has been appointed by FAO Director-General Edouard Saouma to lead the Coordinating Unit of the Tropical Forests Action Programme (TFAP) at FAO headquarters in Rome. Most recently responsible for international cooperation for the Office National des Forêts, Mr Clement, a forester with a long experience in tropical countries, was formerly with France's Ministry of Development Cooperation where he was in charge of international cooperation in forestry. Prior to taking up his duties as TFAP Coordinator in early May 1993, Mr Clement had been a serving member of the TFAP Forestry Advisors, an informal group consisting of the focal points for forestry cooperation of major donor countries and international agencies. Mr Clement replaces Mr Heering who led the TFAP Coordinating Unit until October 1992.
External funding for country-level TFAP implementation
International financial support for the implementation of national forestry plans within the framework of the TFAP by the end of 1992 amounted to US$2.03 billion, against identified needs of US$6.08 billion. The figures, which were released during the 11th session of the FAO Committee on Forestry in March 1993, cover 31 countries which have completed the formulation of national forestry action plans or forestry master plans.
Regional workshops on the TFAP Operational Principles
In 1992 and early 1993, a series of regional and subregional workshops were held to foster the application of the new TFAP Operational Principles, designed to emphasize people's participation in the formulation and implementation of national forestry action plans, the commitment required by a country-driven process and the importance of policy and strategy for national forestry plans. For example, a subregional workshop for English-speaking African countries was held in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, from 15 to 20 February 1993. Of the 44 participants from 16 countries, 21 represented forest or natural resource departments, nine came from TFAP national coordinating units, six from planning ministries, five from NGOs and two from forest industry organizations. Other workshops were held in Bangkok, Thailand, for Asia and the Pacific; Kingston, Jamaica, for the Caribbean; and Yaoundé, Cameroon, for French-speaking Africa. A similar workshop is planned for Latin America.
CIFOR moves towards operational status
The Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the new international research organization within the ambit of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), is moving strongly towards operational status. In May 1993, the Establishment Agreement and Constitution was signed by four sponsoring countries (Australia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States), thereby exceeding requirements for full-fledged international centre status.
Also in May, an agreement was reached between the CIFOR Board of Directors and the Government of Indonesia on the establishment of CIFOR's headquarters in Bogor. In addition to the use of premises suitable for headquarters administration, the Government of Indonesia has agreed to provide access to sites for research purposes, including 10 ha of the nearby Damarga experimental forest and "various lands to be identified by mutual agreement, representative of ecosystems and forest types relevant and sufficient for the programme needs of the Centre". [Ed. note: for more information on CIFOR, see "CGIAR launches international forestry research centre", Unasylva, 43(169): 5253]
The Board of Directors has also nominated Jeffrey Sayer as CIFOR's first Director-General. Mr Sayer, a national of the United Kingdom, was previously Coordinator of the Tropical Forest Programme of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) in Gland, Switzerland.
