51吃瓜

New Year’s message from UNFFS Director

On behalf of the UNFF Secretariat, I would like to wish you and your families a new year filled with joy, peace, and good health.

2024 will be a pivotal year for the UN Forum on Forests. The midterm review of the International Arrangement on Forests at UNFF19 in May 2024 will take stock of successes and challenges in the implementation of sustainable forest management worldwide. By identifying current gaps and potential adjustments needed, the midterm review in 2024 will chart the path toward 2030 鈥� to ensure the achievement of the Global Forest Goals and accelerating progress towards the SDGs, as well as other forest-related goals and commitments. We need to seize the momentum generated by the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) where delegates emphasized the importance of halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation, in order to enhance the contributions of forests to the objectives of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

As we prepare for the busy year ahead, starting with the informal consultations in preparation for UNFF19 later this month, I would like to assure you of the commitment and readiness of our Secretariat to provide the support that you may need. Indeed, while we are working to address the gaps in critical staff positions, including a senior-level position to guide the work of the GFFFN, we are happy to have welcomed two new colleagues to our dedicated team, including the Deputy Director and the Inter-Regional Adviser.

We will be sharing more news and updates shortly through the launch of a new UNFF quarterly newsletter later this month.

With best wishes,

Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo

Director, UN Forum on Forests Secretariat