The “APFNet Advanced Workshop on Sustainable Forest Management in Greater Mekong Sub-region” is held in Kunming since 7th September, 2013. The 10 days workshop is attended by 12 senior officials from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and China, which aims to improve understanding and strengthen collaborations between economies in terms of forestry hot issues such as Payment of Ecological Services (PES), Forest Law Enforcement and Government (FLEG), REDD+ and community forestry and livelihood development etc.

Resource persons of the workshop are invited from India, China, European Forest Institute (EFI), RECOFTC and World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF) to share their knowledge and experience regarding biodiversity conservation and livelihood improvement, PES, REDD+, FLEG etc. Participants from each economy will also share their unique viewpoints and take part in the discussion of laws, policies, practices and challenges in forestry in their economies.

Mr. Wan Yong, Deputy Director General of Forestry Department of Yunnan Province, Mr. Chen Baokun, Director General of Southwest Forestry University Administrative Affairs Board, and Mr. Lu De, the Assistant Executive Director of APFNet Secretariat gave their welcoming remarks in the opening ceremony, and Dr. Jacqueline Parisi, Deputy Director of Mekong Institute and Mr. Jin Cheng, Deputy Director General of International Regional Cooperation Office of Yunnan Province spoke about Mekong Institute and Yunnan’s economic collaboration with other economies in the Greater Mekong Sub-region respectively.

This advanced workshop is sponsored by APFNet (Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation), and is organized by APFNet – Kunming Training Center.