Elevate collaboration, impact and investments to achieve Global Forest Goals, says ITTO Executive Director

Throughout UNFF20 week, ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru advocated for enhanced collaboration, greater impact, and increased investment to accelerate progress toward the Global Forest Goals. Photo: Ramón Carillo/ITTO

Tropical forests need more than protection, they need investment. As global attention sharpens on sustainable finance and nature-based solutions, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) made a strong case for the need to urgently mobilize resources where they matter most.

At the 20th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF20), held at UN Headquarters in New York, ITTO highlighted its leadership in advancing the Global Forest Goals (GFG) through catalytic field projects, high-impact partnerships, and strategic financing dialogues focused on sustainable tropical forest management and the trade in legally harvested and sustainably produced wood and related non-wood products.

Collaborative efforts to achieve the Global Forest Goals

On 7 May, ITTO joined fellow Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) members in the side event titled “Joining Forces for Forests: CPF Joint Action to Advance Global Forest Goals.” The event focused on strengthening coordination to support Global Forest Goals 1, 3, and 5.

Country representatives from Brazil, Austria, Slovakia, and Japan opened the session with perspectives on enhancing the CPF’s collective impact. ITTO reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to and active participation in the CPF, as reflected in its governance treaty, the International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA, 2006), its Strategic Action Plan 2022–2026 and many Council Decisions.

“The ITTA explicitly acknowledges the CPF and the UNFF as essential partners,” said ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru. “Our strategy and programmes are not developed in isolation, they are rooted in multilateral cooperation to advance globally agreed forest goals and other international forest-related ambitions”, she added.

ITTO highlighted that the Biennial Work Programme 2024–2025 includes numerous activities mapped to the GFGs, including a specific activity focused on CPF collaboration. ITTO’s work with the CPF is reported annually to the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC), ensuring transparency and alignment.

Additionally, ITTO co-leads two significant CPF joint initiatives: Promoting Integrated Fire Management in Tropical Forests and Sustainable Wood for a Sustainable World (SW4SW).

On-the-ground impact

During plenary discussions on emerging issues, Ms. Satkuru took the floor following Peru’s statement on dry forest restoration to highlight that several of the achievements mentioned by Peru and some panel members had been supported through ITTO-funded field projects, implemented in close partnership with national and local actors.

The project “Strengthening capacities for the sustainable forest management of the tropical dry forest of the North Coast of Peru” served as a launchpad for a GEF-funded initiative totalling USD 61 million, including co-financing. “This is a perfect example of how a modest ITTO investment can generate transformational impact by enabling member countries to scale up and tap into larger financing mechanisms,” said Ms Satkuru.

She also cited a small-scale ITTO project in Côte d'Ivoire that led to a larger World Bank-financed forest restoration initiative driven by women leaders. “These projects aren’t just technical interventions, they are catalysts for long-term environmental, economic, and social change,” Ms Satkuru added. They show the ripple effect targeted international support can have when locally driven and strategically aligned. A similar model to this project was replicated in ITTO projects in Togo and Benin, evidencing the transferability and replicability of successful ITTO projects. She called for further and closer collaboration between the larger donors and the ITTO. 

Investments in forest landscapes

At the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO)-organized side event, “Scaling Up Integrated Landscape Approaches: Partnerships, Policies, and Finance”, Ms Satkuru joined a distinguished panel to discuss the role of international organizations in catalyzing private sector investments in forest landscapes.

Drawing on ITTO’s extensive experience, she highlighted initiatives such as the Global Legal and Sustainable Timber Forum (GLSTF), scheduled for 23–24 September 2025 in Macao, and ITTO’s services that help de-risk investments in sustainable forest management (SFM).

“Our job is to help unlock capital for sustainable forestry, not just from donors, but from the private sector and market actors who can drive long-term change,” said Ms. Satkuru. “ITTO’s work on legal and sustainable supply chains is designed to do just that.”

She also emphasized the importance of communications and market outreach in changing perceptions about forest-based investments. “Forests are part of the climate solution, but they’re also nature-based smart businesses. We need to communicate the value of sustainable forests and wood, the credibility of legal supply chains, and the returns on investing in nature,” she said. “This is where international organizations can be powerful connectors.”

Through high-level engagement, technical input, and strategic partnerships at UNFF20, ITTO reinforced its leadership in sustainable tropical forestry and its dedication to the Global Forest Goals and the United Nations Strategic Plan on Forests. From CPF coordination, to finance dialogues, ITTO continuously calls for elevated actions to achieve our global ambitions.

To read more about ITTO’s participation at UNFF20, explore the related articles below:
ITTO drives strategic forest partnerships at UNFF20
ITTO at UNFF20: Leverage public-private synergies to increase the value of tropical forest services