The United Nations Forum on Forests Ad Hoc Expert Group on Consideration with a View to Recommending the Parameters of a Mandate for Developing a Legal Framework on All Types of Forests (AHEG-PARAM) met from 7-10 September 2004, at UN headquarters in New York.

Comprising 68 experts, the Expert Group: assessed existing regional and international binding and non-binding instruments and processes relevant to forests; considered reports prepared by countries, members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Secretariat and considered the outcomes of previous UNFF sessions; considered other outcomes of the international arrangement on forests (IAF); reviewed experiences of existing forest-related and other relevant organizations and agreements, focusing on complementarities, gaps and duplications; and adopted a report providing a range of options for the future framework to be forwarded to the fifth session of the UNFF (UNFF-5).
Many participants found that the meeting provided an open exchange of views and generated momentum regarding the development of a new IAF. Experts found several areas of common ground and points of convergence regarding the objectives and content of a new IAF, most underlining the need to strengthen the IAF and concerning the implementation of prior commitments. With this in mind, experts identified developing the existing IAF and negotiating a convention or a protocol as options to be considered by UNFF-5 in May 2005. Click here for full coverage by the Earth Negotiations Bulletin.