Pretoria - For the first time in its 85-year history, the World Forestry Congress by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations is to be hosted on African soil.
The congress, to be held in 2015, will be hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on behalf of the South African government at the Durban International Convention Centre.
The first World Forestry Congress was held in Rome in 1926 and has generally taken place every six years since then.
The gathering serves as a forum for governments, universities, civil society and the private sector to exchange views and experiences and to formulate recommendations for implementation at national, regional and global levels.
The congress also provides an opportunity for the sector to produce an overview of the state of forests and forestry in order to discern trends, adapt policies and raise awareness of issues among decision-makers, the public and other parties concerned.
South Africa was actively involved in the previous World Forestry Congress, held in Canada and Argentina in 2003 and 2009 respectively and provided scientific papers, posters and general participation.
As part of the government's Programme of Action, the department seeks to address the major socio-economic challenges to contribute towards the creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods, education, health, crime prevention, rural development, including land reform and food production.
The country has been involved in the sustainable forest development global dialogue as early as 1992 and has thus contributed immensely towards the development of the International Arrangements on Forests through the United Nations Forum on Forests and its predecessors, the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests and Intergovernmental Forum on Forests.
With this experience, South Africa has been able to contribute to the sustainable developmental agenda for SADC and Africa.
With South Africa hosting the World Forestry Congress, it will enhance the sustainable forest developmental agenda of Africa and in particular help South Africa's contribution to the development of the Congo Basin Forests.
