26 September 2014: The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) released its Annual Report for 2013 highlighting the addition of three new members, Brazil, Colombia and Costa Rica, to the International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA), 2006.

The report also notes the resumption of the publications ‘Tropical Timber Market Report’ (TTM) and the ‘Tropical Forest Update,’ as well as a new partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – the Republic of Korea Forest Cooperation Secretariat. The report also features existing partnerships including with the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) on the sustainable management of endangered tree species, and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on the conservation of biodiversity in tropical forests.

With regard to project outcomes, the report takes particular note of progress in forest certification in Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Nigeria as well as the expansion of timber products in Mexico and Peru. The report also highlights improvements in the production of non-timber forest products in the Philippines, bamboo in Peru, and rubberwood and sandalwood in Indonesia. Overall, the report states that over US$4.3 million in new projects were approved in 2013 with an additional US$5.5 million allocated to ongoing projects under the ITTO.

The report also covers the outcomes of the 49th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council and Associated Committees, during which additional funding of US$15.7 million was announced to support tropical timber markets, trade and industry, and reforestation and forest management. [Publication: ITTO Annual Report 2013]