Agreement on the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization Enters into Force in PH
MANILA 22 March 2019 – The Agreement on the Establishment of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), which will further strengthen regional forestry cooperation in Asia, takes effect in the Philippines today.
The agreement was signed by Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu on 04 June 2018, and the Philippines deposited its Instrument of Ratification on 20 February 2019 at the AFoCO Secretariat in Seoul, South Korea.
Pursuant to Article 19 of the AFoCO Agreement, it takes effect in the country 30 days after the date of deposit of the Instrument.
The Philippines will benefit from the Agreement by transforming proven technology and policies into concrete actions in the context of sustainable forest management to address the impacts of climate change.
It shall promote and undertake action-oriented programs in Asia in the areas of biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, foreign disaster risk reduction, and capacity-building, among others.
Philippine biodiversity is among the most threatened in the world, and the country is losing approximately 47,000 hectares of forest cover every year, according to the data provided by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Forest Management Bureau. This is despite forests remaining among the most valuable natural resources in the Philippines. It provides a range of ecosystem services, ranging from the provision of food crops, livestock and fish to providing recreational experiences.
Forests also serve as home to some 12 to 15 million indigenous peoples and provide livelihood to many families, and are vital for biological conservation and environmental protection, locations for education and research, habitat for indigenous flora and fauna, and resettlement areas.
The establishment of the AFoCO was proposed by the Republic of Korea (ROK) at the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in June 2009. It evolved from the ASEAN-ROK Forest Cooperation, which aims to facilitate forest cooperation, undertake projects and translate sound forest policies into action, and to provide a platform for dialogue between ASEAN member states and the ROK towards the establishment of AFoCO.
The AFoCO officially entered into force on 27 April 2018. As of March 2019, 14 countries have signed the agreement: Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Republic of Korea, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. END