31. The Vice-Chairperson of the Workshop presented the report. The workshop was attended by 49 experts representing countries, members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), regional and sub-regional organizations, private sector and non-governmental organizations.
32. Workshop participants adopted more than 30 recommendations, primarily addressed to countries, on the following topics:
i. implementing proposals for action;
ii. participation of African countries in the international forest dialogue;
iii. strengthening regional actions;
iv. trade and sustainable forest management (implementing the proposals);
v. rehabilitation of degraded forest lands, especially in LFCCs (implementing the proposals).
33. Among the main recommendations was a call to strengthen the sub-regional organizations so that they can better assist countries in the implementation. In some sub-regions, streamlining and harmonization of the many on-going initiatives is needed. Participants also stressed the need for international processes to provide proper means of implementation and to disseminate information on their outcomes. Several recommendations called on FAO, in collaboration with other partners, to continue to support and facilitate country implementation.
34. The workshop recommended that the Commission should provide a forum for strong regional forestry policy dialogue, including preparations for future global meetings; for a common African position at the Fifth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF-5); and for sharing of experiences in implementation.
35. In her remarks, the representative of the UNFF secretariat informed that the Fourth session of UNFF will be held from 3 to 14 May 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland, and invited the Commission to present its outcome in a specific panel of the session, “the Africa day”. The Commission expressed the wish that a large participation of African countries be facilitated.
36. The Commission endorsed the workshop report (Annex E).