Pattaya, Thailand, 16 November 2023: Donors have committed funds in 2023 amounting to about USD 6.16 million to support the Organization’s work, according to announcements made today at the 59th session of the International Tropical Timber Council and contributions made intersessionally.

Of the total amount, Japan has contributed USD 2.01 million, China, Macao SAR USD 1.53 million, Germany USD 1.41 million, the Republic of Korea USD 579 000, the United States of America USD 551 000 and Finland USD 5 000; private organizations Soka Gakkai (USD 75 000) and Kisso-an (USD 2600) also made contributions.[1]

Among other things, these funds will be used to help raise the living standards of communities in the collective territory of Bajo Calima, Colombia, with a focus on gender equality and the empowerment of women [PD 916/21 Rev.2]; conserve African barwood (Pterocarpus erinaceus) in the gazetted forests of Palée and Boundiali in the Bagoue région in northern Côte d’Ivoire [PD 808/16 Rev.4 (F) Phase I]; enhance and diversify the domestic consumption of sustainable wood and wood products in Malaysia and promote local markets [PD 935/23 (I)]; strengthen and consolidate Cameroon’s national process for addressing illegal logging and associated trade [CN-21009]; and promote community-based restoration and management regimes in cyclone-affected degraded mangrove forests in the Rewa Delta, Fiji [PP-A/59-351].

Funds were also committed for second phases of the Global Timber Index Platform [PP-A/53-323I]; a project to develop blockchain-based timber traceability systems [PP-A/53-323J]; and a project to promote high-quality production of teak and other valuable species in plantations among smallholders and communities in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Togo and Viet Nam [PP-A/54-331A]. The third phase of a project in Togo to support women’s groups [PP-A/56-341B] was financed, along with various other activities in the Biennial Work Programme, such as work to enhance cooperation between ITTO and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Other projects and activities received partial funding and will commence should the balance of funding be forthcoming.[2]

Also today, the Council addressed agenda items related to the implementation of ITTO’s new financing architecture and the report of the Credentials Committee. The Secretariat informed the Council that the meeting has achieved quorum. The Committee on Finance and Administration met in the morning.

In the afternoon of day 4, delegates participated in excursions to Laem Chabang Port, one of the world’s busiest sea ports; agarwood and teak plantations; and a pallet-manufacturing factory.
 

The International Tropical Timber Council meets at least once a year to discuss a wide-ranging agenda aimed at promoting sustainable tropical forest management and the trade of sustainably produced tropical timber.

Daily coverage of the session by IISD reporting services is available at https://enb.iisd.org/ittc59-international-tropical-timber-council

[1] Numbers are rounded. Some of the funding indicated here was announced before the Council session.

[2] The full list of activities receiving voluntary contributions is contained in Decision 1 of the session (expected to be posted on the ITTO website by end November).