The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC) that the net rate of forest loss in Africa is the second highest in the world, while the continent leads the world in the frequency of forest fires.

This warning came during the AFWC’s fifteenth session, which convened in Maputo, Mozambique, from 29 March to 1 April 2006. The African Forestry and Wildlife Commission, which is held every two years at a meeting organized by FAO, considered AFWC and other FAO-supported activities and initiatives, implementation of sustainable forest management in Africa, achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through regional cooperation, forest law compliance, and regional issues identified by the Commission for the attention of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), among other issues. The Commission also considered links between climate change and deforestation, a subject on which FAO has warned that action should be taken now to manage the complex relationship in a more holistic manner.
Links to further information
FAO News Release, 31 March 2006
FAO News Releases, 27 March 2006