November 25, 2022 — Back-to-back Project Steering Committee (PSC) meetings were held in November for two AFoCO projects in Cambodia— “Establishment of Forest Genetics Research Center for Restoration of Major Timber Species in Cambodia (AFoCO/005/2014),” which is also one of the three AFoCO Landmark Program restoration projects, and “Site Restoration and Sustainable Management of Community Forest Using Multiple Use Tree Species and Agroforestry (AFoCO/027/2022).” Both meetings were arranged to discuss the follow-up of the last PSC meeting regarding the Records of Discussion (RoD), annual progress and financial report of 2022, project performance analysis based on the Project Implementation Plan (PIP) Matrix, and annual work plan and budget for 2023 to be approved by the PSC meeting.
The 8th and the last Project Steering Committee Meeting for the project AFoCO/005/2014 was held in Cambodia with the attendance of PSC members from Cambodia, and the AFoCO Secretariat. The meeting was formally called into order by the representative of the Forestry Administration of Cambodia. The Chair started the meeting with warm welcomes and an introduction of the participants from both sides, Cambodia and the Secretariat.
During the meeting, the program officer for restoration projects under the Landmark Program briefed the progress since the 7th meeting. The national project director for Cambodia under the Landmark Program provided the meeting with an overview of activities and a financial report for 2022, as well as the annual work and budget plan for 2023 for consideration at the meeting. The Meeting adjourned with the guidance and recommendations of PSC members to finalize the annual work and budget plan.
Following the PSC meeting for AFoCO/005/2014, the 2nd PSC meeting for AFoCO/027/2022 was convened in a hybrid mode. In his opening remarks, Mr. Orlando Panganiban thanked the Forestry Administration of Cambodia for their continuous support, noted IA’s accomplishments in the project implementation, and introduced members of the Secretariat who attended the meeting. In response, Mr. Chan Ponika, Deputy Director General of the Forestry Administration of Cambodia, welcomed all participants and then briefly highlighted the results of the project implementation during 2022, and the Provisional Agenda of the Meeting.
As Acting Chair of the Meeting, Mr. Chan Ponika presided over the meeting and requested that the Meeting agenda be adopted. Afterward, the IA presented the recommendations from the 1st PSC Meeting, updated the results, responded to the recommendations, the physical and financial progress of 2022 and the PIP Matrix analysis against the work plan approved in 2022. As a result of the discussion and proposal of the IA, the PSC Meeting approved the CY 2023 Work and Budget Plan.
Contributed by Han YoungJu, Assistant Program Officer
