Yokohama, 14 January 2026 — A sustainable tropical timber sector can be achieved through the combined and cumulative impact of many related advances rather than a single dramatic leap. This edition of Tropical Forest Update explores how stakeholders across the sector are taking essential steps—sometimes under difficult circumstances—to ensure that tropical forests continue to thrive, provide livelihoods and environmental benefits for generations to come.

As 2025 comes to a close, we extend our sincere thanks to all of you for the collaboration and the support received over the past year.

With Season’s Greetings & Best Wishes for the New Year 2026! 
 

ITTO Secretariat 

Yokohama, 19 December 2025 — Ghana’s timber sector continued its upward trend in November 2025 while some countries saw signs of stabilization, according to the latest Global Timber Index (GTI) Report. The ITTO-supported GTI tracks the performance of the timber sector in pilot countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. 
 

Samarkand, 28 November 2025 — The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)’s Director of Trade and Industry, Mohammed Nurudeen Iddrisu, underscored the importance of strong collaboration between ITTO and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) during the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (COP20), held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Mexico City, 27 November 2025 —Ms Sheam Satkuru, Executive Director of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), undertook an official mission to Mexico to enhance technical collaboration, assess outcomes of ITTO projects, and explore additional areas of cooperation aimed at strengthening the sustainable management and use of tropical forests.
 

Belém, 27 November 2025 — The use of sustainable wood provides steady income for forest communities, supports their wellbeing, and helps keep forest resources healthy over time. Sustainable wood also stores carbon both in tropical forests, and in the wood products that come from them. This side event, co-organized by the ITTO and the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), highlighted practical climate-smart initiatives that improve livelihoods through sustainable forest management.