PROMOTING INTER-REGIONAL COOPERATION: NEFC EXPERIENCE NEFCNEFC Pape Djiby Koné NEFC Secretary Hoda S. Rashed NEFC Chair

NEFCNEFC THE NEAR EAST REGION NEFC RELATION WITH OTHER FAO SM RELATION WITH NERC MAIN RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS JOINT SESSIONS LESSONS LEARNT

THE NEAR EAST REGION NEFCNEFC 80% LFCCs 70% Rangelands Water deficient Desertification 85% Wood energy NWFP contribution to rural livelihood

ABOUT NEFC NEFCNEFC Near East Forestry Conference (Amman, 1952) Establishment of Near East Forestry Commission (Rome, 1953) First Session of NEFC (Teheran, 1955) 18 TH Session (Khartoum, 2008)

NEFC MEMBERSHIP NEFCNEFC Central Asia 6 countries Western Asia 11 countries Mediterranean 1 country North Africa 9 countries Total: 27 out of the 30 N.E. member countries

NEFCNEFC

HOW DOES IT FUNCTION? NEFCNEFC Regular sessions Inter-sessions NEFC Task Force NEFC Secretariat

RELATIONS WITH OTHER STATUTORY MEETINGS NEFCNEFC AFWC (9 Countries) EFC (1 Country) APAFC (1 Country) SM (13 Countries)

RELATIONS WITH NERC NEFCNEFC NEAR EAST REGIONAL CONFERENCE ALAWUC NEFC

NEFC MAIN RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS NEFCNEFC ASSESSMENT OF OVER 50 YEARS POSITION PAPERS TECHNICAL BROCHURES VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES FOREST HEALTH NETWORK FORESTRY AND RANGE SECTORS DIALOGUE

JOINT SESSIONS NEFCNEFC Participation of Chairpersons (Khartoum, 2003; Accra, 2004) Joint inter-sessions meeting (Rabat, 2007) Joint AFWC-NEFC sessions (Khartoum, 2008) - joint preparatory visit - pre-session meetings - joint official functions - Secretariat coordination - joint regular sessions

LESSONS LEARNT NEFCNEFC PREPARATIONS HOST COUNTRY INPUTS PARTICIPATION COORDINATION REPORTING FOLLOW-UP Selection of host country Official arrangements with host country Preparation of agenda and side events

LESSONS LEARNT NEFCNEFC PREPARATIONS HOST COUNTRY INPUTS PARTICIPATION COORDINATION REPORTING FOLLOW-UP Meeting facilities (Joint & separate mtgs…) Official functions (opening/closing, etc…) Official delegation Chairmanship

LESSONS LEARNT NEFCNEFC PREPARATIONS HOST COUNTRY INPUTS PARTICIPATION COORDINATION REPORTING FOLLOW-UP Registration of dual members’ delegations interpretation Side events

LESSONS LEARNT NEFCNEFC PREPARATIONS HOST COUNTRY INPUTS PARTICIPATION COORDINATION REPORTING FOLLOW-UP Secretariats respective prerogatives Lines of communication - with host country - with common members Logistical inputs

LESSONS LEARNT NEFCNEFC PREPARATIONS HOST COUNTRY INPUTS PARTICIPATION COORDINATION REPORTING FOLLOW-UP Common and separate chapters Timing for release Language (ex: North Africa)

LESSONS LEARNT NEFCNEFC PREPARATIONS HOST COUNTRY INPUTS PARTICIPATION COORDINATION REPORTING FOLLOW-UP Common and separate recommendations Recommendations to COFO Recommendations to countries

CONCLUSIONS NEFCNEFC NEFC is the only regional mechanism on forestry (and range) Support by member countries resemble to support to Forestry Institutions (very Weak) Expectations on Secretariat higher than in other regions Secretariat under staffed and under funded Most countries unable to attend meetings without sponsors

CONCLUSIONS NEFCNEFC Increasing interest and commitment of regional foresters Growing interest on regional platform for forestry dialogue Emerging inter-regional collaboration (LFCC, FNPP…) Real opportunities through silva mediterranea committee and inter connections with AFWC and EFC

THANK YOU NEFCNEFC