Update for Monday, 11 June 

On the first day of UNFF-1, delegates met in a morning Plenary session to hear opening remarks and address organizational matters. In the afternoon, delegates delivered general statements on the UNFF's multi-year programme of work (MYPOW), plan of action (PoA) and work with the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF). 

PLENARY:

OPENING REMARKS: Chair Mubarak Hussein Rahmtalla (Sudan) opened the session and encouraged delegates to work productively. 
Patricio Civili (Right), Assistant Secretary-General, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), presented a review of international forest-related work since UNCED, identifying key lessons learned and challenges ahead. He lauded the level of consensus achieved, the quality of leadership, the financial support provided by governments, and the work of the Inter-agency Task Force on Forests (ITFF). He identified challenges ahead, including the need to: formulate a realistic agenda; mobilize political and financial support; generate and sustain support for the CPF; and build capacity.

Chair Mubarak (Right)  described the UNFF as the most concrete institutional legacy of Agenda 21, and said tasks for UNFF-1 include: adopting the MYPOW; initiating a framework for the PoA; and designing new approaches to cooperation and coordination among institutions.

Hosny El-Lakany, CPF Chair (Right), reported on the establishment of the CPF and overviewed efforts to broaden the CPF's membership to include the FCCC, CCD and GEF, in addition to the ITFF members. He noted that the GEF has agreed to join the CPF and that the CPF will develop its work plan following the adoption of the MYPOW.