A meeting of the “country-led initiative” aimed at supporting discussions on a future international arrangement on forests was held in Zapopan-Guadalajara, Mexico.

The “country-led initiative in support of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) on the future of the international arrangement on forests (IAF)” convened from 25-28 January 2005, with over 200 experts from governments, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in attendance. The purpose of the initiative is twofold: to elaborate the critical elements that countries would like to see included in a future IAF; and to provide an informal contribution that will help provide a basis for the decision concerning the future of the IAF that will be taken at UNFF-5 in May 2005.
During the meeting, participants considered five specific aspects of a future IAF: objectives and functions; modalities; options for financing; identification of the international and domestic roles and contributions of the potential components of the IAF; and the challenge ahead. In the end, the participants, all of whom were speaking in their personal capacities, produced a final report that will be submitted to the United Nations. The final report is not a consensus report, but simply captures the broad range of personal opinions that were expressed during the four-day meeting. The Sustainable Developments report of the meeting.