Vietnam and Cambodia sign cooperation agreement in forestry sector

Vietnam and Cambodia agreed to share information and experience; promote investment in forestry and forest product trade; conduct scientific research, training, and improve capacity at all levels in forestry.

Vietnam and Cambodia signed a cooperation agreement in the forestry sector. (Source: Department of Forestry)

According to the Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, from July 18-19, the 27th ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting on Forestry (ASOF 27) took place in Indonesia.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Mr. Pham Hong Luong, Deputy Director of the Forestry Department.

At the conference, the Vietnamese delegation had a meeting with the Cambodian delegation and held a signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral cooperation on forestry for the 2024-2029 period.

The main areas of cooperation that the two sides have agreed on include: sharing information and experience; promoting investment in the forestry sector and forest product trade; scientific research, training, and capacity building at all levels in forestry; forest protection - forest fire prevention and control; ecosystem restoration, and cross-border biodiversity conservation.

The two sides also cooperate in preventing illegal exploitation and transportation of timber and timber products, hunting of wild animals and plants, and adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

ASOF 27 is an annual conference on forestry of Southeast Asian countries to prepare a report at the 46th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting (AMAF 46).

Attending the ASOF 27 conference were representatives of 9 ASEAN countries (Singapore did not attend), Timor Leste attended as an observer; ASEAN Secretariat; ASEAN partner countries/international organizations: China, Secretariat of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Center for World Forestry Research (CIFOR), German International Cooperation Organization (GIZ), EU Program to support ASEAN countries in strengthening Forest Law Enforcement, Forest Governance and Trade (EU-FLEGT Program), UN-REDD Asia Program.

The conference focused on discussing and agreeing on a number of important contents including: ASEAN Forestry Cooperation Strategy (2016-2025); Sustainable Forest Management in the ASEAN Region; Development of Forest Products in the ASEAN Region; Forest and Climate Change Issues in the ASEAN Region; Cooperation among ASEAN countries in implementing the CITES Convention and strengthening wildlife law enforcement (ASEAN-CITES and WE); New programs, projects and cooperation initiatives in the ASEAN region; Cooperation Plan with ASEAN partner countries and organizations.

At the conference, the Vietnamese delegation updated the current status of forest resources, Vietnam's new policies/regulations on forestry, especially on sustainable forest management, forest certification and implementation of international commitments in the forestry sector.

Vietnam also pointed out opportunities, challenges and recommendations to the conference to enhance sustainable forest management in the ASEAN region.

The Vietnamese delegation also spent time meeting and exchanging with countries and international organizations that are partners of Vietnam to promote cooperation activities and mobilize resources for the Vietnamese forestry sector./.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/viet-nam-va-cambodia-ky-ket-hop-tac-trong-linh-vuc-lam-nghiep-post965614.vnp