Twenty-Second Session of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission & Sixth African Forestry and Wildlife Week
At the kind invitation of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, the Twenty-Second Session of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC22) and the Sixth African Forestry and Wildlife Week (AFWW6) will be held at the Nombolo Mdhululi Conference Centre, in Skukuza Camp, Skukuza, Mpumalanga, South Africa from 9 to 13 March 2020.
Created in 1959, the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC) is one of six Regional Forestry Commissions established by FAO to provide a policy and technical forum for countries to discuss and address forest and wildlife issues on a regional basis. It meets every two years. The other commissions cover the regions of Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, Near East and North America.
Mandate
The purpose of AFWC is to advise on the formulation of forest and wildlife management policy and to review and coordinate its implementation at the regional level; exchange information and advise on suitable practices and action in regard to technical problems, and to make appropriate recommendations in relation to the foregoing.
The theme for the AFWC22 and AFWW6
The theme selected for the AFWC22 and AFWW6 is “Forests and Wildlife: Africa’s diversity for shared prosperity and security”.
The theme has been purposely selected by AFWC bureau members to highlight the richness and diversity of Africa’s resources and to fully capture their importance and key role in sustaining the livelihoods of millions of people, creating job opportunities for youth and women, contributing to water-energy-food security and nutrition, building a foundation for resilience, nations’ economies and prosperity.
The AFWW6 will be held simultaneously with the Commission Session to showcase progress and advancement in African forestry and wildlife sectors. It will further enable networking, collaboration and exchange of experience and knowledge among policymakers, technicians, practitioners, academia, civil society and development partners from different countries from local to regional and international levels. The Week will include several exhibitions, multisectoral dialogues, and side events.
High turnout and diverse stakeholders expected
FAO anticipates wide participation of government officials from forestry, wildlife, and other sectors as well as representatives of international, regional and sub-regional organizations that deal with forest and wildlife-related issues in the region, including NGOs, the private sector and civil society organizations, community-based organizations, producer organizations, academia, research, youth groups and development partners including UN sister organizations.
Secretariat
The FAO Regional Office for Africa, through its Senior Regional Forestry Officer, provides the Secretariat of the AFWC. This is the most important continental forum to discuss policy, scientific and technical issues relating to forestry and wildlife; its deliberations give rise to special recommendations at meetings of the FAO Committee on Forests (COFO) and to the Regional Conference for Africa (ARC)