Sixth Session

Consistent with the Decision of the Assembly of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) during the Fifth Session (Decision 41-V-21), the Assembly considered the advantages and opportunities of building a strategic partnership working consistently with the relevant initiatives.

Recalling the objectives set out in Paragraph 2(e) of Article 3 of the ‘Agreement on the Establishment of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization’ (hereinafter ‘the Agreement’), the organization is mandated to promote partnerships between the Parties and with other entities
to carry out cooperative activities by building upon the current initiatives of other forest-related international agreements and organizations.

The Assembly recognizes that the participation of countries and entities beyond Parties and Observers of AFoCO complement the organization’s action by access to new knowledge, expertise, financing and broad reach – resources that are critical to advancing organization’s work.

Based on Decision 41-V-21R, Promotion and Enhancement of Partnership, Partner Countries and Partner Organizations provides new category of participation and engagement for AFoCO. The Sixth Session of the Assembly endorsed the Rules of Procedures for Partners Countries and Partner Organizations of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization.

The AFoCO Fellowship Program is a program for government officials of AFoCO Member Parties dispatched to the AFoCO Secretariat to experience the working environment and processes of the international entity, as well as to maximize the in-house capacity of the Secretariat.

The program is expected to:

• Provide an effective position to the Secretariat to deliver the member countries’ voice to the global discourses and declarations such as UNFCCC, UNCBD, UNCCD, and UNFF, with the collective professional knowledge from the region.
• Accommodate diverse demands and needs of the Member Countries and strategize goals and missions of the organization, including resource mobilization.
• Strategize the organization’s vision and missions working as the Secretariat’s Professional Staff;
• Infuse professional expertise and experience of the region and country in sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change, including nature-based solutions;
• Build an effective communication network among the Parties and the Secretariat;
• Expand the cooperation with the Parties better understanding of the working environment and procedural matters among the Parties and the Secretariat; and
• Improve the task management of the Secretariat, and share knowledge and experiencesin the Asian region.