4 June 2014: The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Forestry and Timber Section held a capacity building workshop for forest product statistics in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Caucasus. FAO has announced renewed partnership with the Turkish Government to address forests and food security in the region.

The Workshop on Forest Products Statistics for National Statistical Correspondents was convened by the FAO Sub-regional Office for Central Asia on 27-28 May 2014, in Ankara, Turkey. Participants at the workshop were introduced to the FAO Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire, which gathers information on roundwood removals and forest product production levels as a contribution to FAO’s global forest reporting. Information and experiences were also exchanged on constraints in gathering and managing statistics on forest product production, consumption and trade.

In addition to the workshop, FAO and the Government of Turkey agreed to extend their Partnership Programme focused on food security and forests, and signed a new agreement on sustainable forest management (SFM) in Central Asia. The partnership agreements highlight Turkey’s role as an emerging donor and facilitate the exchange of experiences between Turkey and other countries in the region on forest management and protection, forest policy and institutional development, according to FAO. [FAO Press Release on Statistics] [FAO Press Release on Turkey] [Workshop Website]