Forest fire management, responses to the recent tsunami and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were some of the issues discussed by delegates meeting in mid-March at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Over 600 participants attended the Ministerial Meeting on Forests and the seventeenth session of the FAO’s Committee on Forestry from 14-19 March 2005. Over 40 ministers attended the Ministerial Meeting, as did the President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, and 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai from Kenya, who used the opportunity to call for a re-think on the linkages between peace and security.
At the Ministerial Meeting on Forests, ministers addressed issues relating to international cooperation on forest fire management and maintaining a commitment to sustainable forest management, and agreed to a Ministerial Statement. On tsunami damage, the ministers called for a comprehensive assessment of wood needs for reconstruction to respond better to the emerging challenges of rehabilitating damaged forests, salvaging wood and meeting the immediate needs for reconstructing piers, bridges, boats and houses, as well as for fuel.
At the FAO Committee on Forestry, delegates addressed issues relating to the 2005 State of the World’s Forests report, Regional Forestry Commissions, needs and opportunities for international cooperation in forest fire preparedness, the role of forests in contributing to the MDGs, and the World Forestry Congress.
Links to further information
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin report and coverage of this meeting
Text of Wangari Maathai’s speech