27 to 28 April 2015 – The Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet) convened its first meeting of the Council in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar. In attendance were over 35 participants from 17 APFNet member economies as well as five member organizations and one observer organization. The Myanmar Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry (MoECF) hosted the meeting. Mr. U Win Tun, Union Minister of MoECF, and Mr. Qu Guilin, Executive Director of APFNet opened the meeting and announced the formal establishment of the APFNet Council.

“I am confident that this meeting will provide the impetus to Myanmar and the Asia-Pacific region, to move forward in the implementation of cooperative programmes pertaining to sustainable forest management.” Mr. U Win Tun stated during the opening ceremony.

Mr. Preecha Ongprasert of the Royal Forest Department of Thailand and Ms. Magdalene Maihua of the Papua New Guinea Forest Authority were elected as the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council, respectively. Discussions of the two-day meeting then focused on the adoption of council rules and procedures, roles and responsibilities of the Project Appraisal Panel as well as the application procedures for APFNet membership. The Council also reviewed activities and achievements to-date, discussed strategic planning for the 2016 to 2020 period as well as agreed to amend the Operational Framework to reflect the new developments of APFNet.

The establishment of the Council was an integral part of the organization’s long-term plan, as envisaged in the APFNet Strategic Plan 2011-2015 and Operational Framework. It “reflects a major step in APFNet’s path to internationalization” Mr Li Qiang, ITTO representative and Council member noted.