Beirut, Republic of Lebanon, 23 May 2004
Preamble
The Forestry Outlook Study for West and Central Asia (FOWECA) is one of a series of outlook studies being implemented by the FAO Forestry Department, following a recommendation by the Near East Forestry Commission at its 15th session in Karthoum, Sudan, that FAO, in collaboration with the member countries of the region, undertake an outlook study for the West and Central Asian countries. At the invitation of the FAO Director-General, the Ministers responsible for Forestry of the 23 countries of the region nominated a focal point for the outlook study, who would, through a series of joint meetings, discuss and agree upon the method, programme and the outputs of the study.
The FOWECA workshop was held on 23 May 2004 in Beirut, in conjunction with the 16th Session of the Near East Forestry Commission in Beirut. The list of participants in the meeting is appended to this report. Twenty-five persons from 16 countries, including 13 FOWECA member countries, participated in the workshop (Appendix 1).
Workshop Objectives:
The workshops main objectives were to introduce the process and activities of the FOWECA study, to discuss the structure and the preparation of the country outlook paper, and to identify the thematic outlook study topics and issues.
Mr. Hassan Abdel Nour, Senior Forestry Officer in the FAO Near East Regional Office, opened the workshop by introducing the objectives and the agenda. Mr. J-L Blanchez, Forestry Officer, FAO Headquarters, Rome, presented the process, outputs and activities of the study. The forces having an impact on the forestry sector were presented by Ms. Qiang Ma, Forestry Officer, FAO Headquarters. Trends and prospects in forestry with some guidance on scenarios formulation were presented by Mr. Blanchez.
The presentations elicited valuable comments and suggestions from the participants, who stressed the importance of considering stability and security, human development, inter regional and global impacts as well as the demographic, economic and social, science and technological, environmental and policy and institutional driving forces. A suggested methodology for national scenario planning should be proposed, with sub-regional institutions being invited to collaborate in the implementation of the study. Some countries emphasized their limited access to and availability of information. Countries suggested that a further regional or sub-regional meeting be convened to discuss draft country outlook papers.
In the afternoon session, the participants split into two working groups, guided by a presentation by Ms. Ma to discuss:
the structure of the suggested outline of the country outlook paper; and
the topics and the breakdown issues for the thematic studies.
Group I comprised Afghanistan, Cyprus, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey, and Uzbekistan;
Group II comprised Jordan, Syria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Results of the group discussion:
The structure of the country paper outline was generally accepted. Some minor comments were suggested related to the introduction and the conclusion and should be considered in the final version.
The main topics for thematic outlook studies as identified by the groups are listed as follows:
Group I:
1. Socio-economic (all countries first priority):
Rural poverty
Urbanization and resulting increasing demand for forest services
Employment
Socio-economic aspects specific to forestry
Globalization and its effects on forestry
Population migration and demographic changes
2. Ecology and economics (all countries first priority)
Desertification
Deforestation
Erosion
Rehabilitation
Degradation of biological diversity
Wildlife
Natural disasters
3. Legal and institutional (all countries second priority)
Management and planning system
Forest education (first priority)
Financing Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)
Ownership conflicts and land tenure (Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran)
Protected areas management
4. Other topics
Fuel wood (except Turkey, Cyprus)
Harvesting and management
Non-wood forest products
Forest fires
Pest and diseases
Agro forestry (Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan)
Group II
1. Integrated sustainable management of forests and range lands
Resource assessments of forest and range and carrying capacity, ecosystem management
Land tenure and use rights, capacity building, rural extension, (forest and range), degree of dependence of wildlife and livestock on forest and range
Traditional laws
2. Socio-economic development of forest and range lands inhabitants
Wood collection, animal rearing, income generation
3. Human activities which impact on forests and range
Agriculture expansion,
Urbanization, mines and quarries,
Overgrazing, wood collection
4. Natural and other disasters
Droughts, fires, diseases and pest, conflicts
5. Biological diversity of forest and range lands
Loss of habitat
Loss of species
Opportunity of eco-tourism
Forest and range protectorates
During the wrap-up session, the participants agreed with the overall programme of the study as presented during the working sessions. A contract or an agreement would be prepared to provide the focal point with the necessary financial FAO support. In the meantime, the focal point would establish an in-country working group and a work plan that would be communicated to FAO as soon as possible.
Some specific recommendations were made on the following:
The country outlook paper can be prepared in either Arabic or English.
The request for more technical support from FAO to prepare the country outlook paper had been raised by some countries. Visits of countries by FAO staff can be organised at the specific demand of the country focal point.
Most of the countries agreed to deliver a draft country report by December 2004. However considering specific constraints and conditions in some countries, a longer period of preparation would be needed. In that case, the focal point should propose a work plan to FAO.
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
AFGHANISTAN
Ghulam Haidari
Head of Environment, Forest and Range Department
Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
P.O. Box #1235
Kabul
Tel.:+93-079334067
E-mail: Thr. FAOR [email protected]
Abdul Wali Modaqiq
Director General of Forest Improvement
Forest and Range Department
Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
P.O. Box #1235
Kabul
Tel.:+93-79212497
E-mail: [email protected]
CYPRUS
Alexandros Christodoulou
Chief Conservator of Forests
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment
26, Louki Akrita Avenue
1414 Nicosia
Tel.:+357-22-805503
Fax.:+357-22-781419
E-mail: [email protected]
EGYPT
(Ms) Hoda Salah El Din Rashed
Director General for Afforestation Department
Under-Secretariat of Afforestation and Environment
Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation
Nadi El Seid Str.
Dokki Giza, Cairo
Tel.:+20-2-3373790
Fax.:+20-2-3354983/7498128
E-mail: [email protected]
IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF
Gholam Abbass Abdinejad
Member of High Council for Forest, Range and Soil
Forest, Range and Watershed Management Organization
P.O. Box 19576/567
Tehran
Tel.:+98-21-2446505/2
Fax.:+98-21-2446551
E-mail: [email protected]
Majid Seifollahian
Member of High Council for Forest, Range and Soil
Forest Range and Watershed Management Organization
P.O. Box 19576/567
Tehran
Tel.:+98-21-2446505
Fax.:+98-21-2446551
E-mail: fano [email protected]
m [email protected]
IRAQ
Sabah Salem Al-Kawaz
General Director of Horticulture and Forestry
Ministry of Agriculture
Abou Gharib
Baghdad
Tel.:+964-1-5111534
Cell : +964 0790922865
E-mail: [email protected]
JORDAN
Mohammed Ahmed Ali Al Daqish
Head of the Department
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O. Box 961045
Amman
Tel.:+962-6-5341116
Fax.:+962-6-568631
E-mail: [email protected]
LEBANON
Fady Asmar
Head of Service of Rangelands, Public Gardens and Protected Forests
Ministry of Agriculture
Bir Hassan/Al Ouzai
Beirut
Tel:+961-3-259818
E-mail: [email protected]
Michel Bassil
Head of Service, Reforestation and Harvesting
Ministry of Agriculture
Bir Hassan
Beirut
Tel. :+961-3-408424
E-mail: [email protected]
Ghattas Akl
Director, Rural Development and Natural Resources Department
Ministry of Agriculture
Bir Hassan/Al Ouzai
Beirut
Tel.:+961-3-763450
E-mail: [email protected]
(Ms) Zeina Tamim
Agricultural Engineer
Rangelands, Public Gardens and Protected Forests Service
Ministry of Agriculture
Bir Hassan/Al Ouzai
Beirut
Tel.:+961-3-943161
E-mail: [email protected]
OMAN
Ahmed Mohamed Bin Mostahil Al Kathiry
Specialist, Plant Studies
Head of Camels Management Department
Ministry of Agriculture and Fish Resources
P.O. Box 482-211
Salalah
Tel.:+968-9490177 - 290175
E-mail: [email protected]
Mohamed Salim Al-Mashikhi
Manager, Range Resources Department
Ministry of Agriculture and Fish Resources
P.O. Box 49
Taka Salalah
Tel.:+968-294421
Fax.:+968-293733
E-mail: [email protected]
PAKISTAN
Kanmwar Muhammad Suleman
Director, Pakistan Forest Institute
Peshawar
Tel.:+92-91-9216137 - 845195
Fax.:+92-91-9216203
E-mail: [email protected]
SAUDI ARABIA, KINGDOM OF
Abdu Gassim Al Assiri
Director-General
Range and Forests Department
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O. Box 11454
Riyadh
Tel.:+966-1-4033702
Fax.:+966-1-4033702
E-mail: [email protected]
SUDAN
Salah Yousif Mohammed
Forests National Corporation
National Authority for Forests
P.O. Box 658, Khartoum
Tel.:+249-11-499923
E-mail: [email protected]
Private: [email protected]
SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
Ali Dawood
Director, Forestry Directorate
Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform
Al Sabaa Bahrat-Al Abed Street
Damascus
Tel.:+963-11-2248964 963 112241382
Fax.:+963-11-2240826
E-mail: [email protected]
TURKEY
Yuksel Erdogan
Forest Engineer
General Directorate of Forestry
Ministry of Environment and Forestry
Orman Genel Mudurlugu Bilisim Destek
Servisi 1 Nolu Bina
Gazi/Ankara
Tel.:+90-312-2230969
Fax.:+90-312-2222078
E-mail: [email protected]
Tamer Otrakcier
Department Head RPC Forestry
General Directorate of Forestry
Ministry of Environment and Forestry
OGM Gazi Tesisleri No. 1
Gazi-Ankara
Tel.:+90-312-2128042
Fax.:+90-312-2227336
E-mail: [email protected]
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Abdullah Bin Rashed Al Moalla
Director of Central Agricultural Region
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
P.O. Box 1509
Dubai
Tel.:+971-6-8822228
Fax.:+971-6-8822777
E-mail: [email protected]
Private: [email protected]
YEMEN, REPUBLIC OF
Mohamed H. Moqbil
Head of Natural Forest Department
Sanaa
Republic of Yemen
P.O. Box 354
Tel: +967 1 250 976
Fax: + 967-1-250977
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
OBSERVERS
UZBEKISTAN
(Ms) Gulusa Vildanova
Forestry Officer
FRA 2005 National Correspondent
Main Forestry Department
Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources
21 Katartal Street
Tashkent
Tel: +99 8 71 1734386/99 8 71 162 8864
E-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
ARAB ORGANIZATION FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (AOAD)
Mohammad Abido
Head of AFRI
P.O. Box 142
Lattakia, Syria
Tel.:+963-41-418459
Fax.:+963-41-418459
E-mail:[email protected]
[email protected]
TAK SABZ (IRAN)
Abbasgholi Espah Boroojeni
Managing Director
No. 35 Molla Sadra Ave.
Tehran 19919
Tel.:+98-21-8772383
Fax.:+98-21-8797675
E-mail: [email protected]
FAO SECRETARIAT
Hassan AbdelNour
Senior Forestry Officer
Regional Office for the Near East
P.O. Box 2223
Cairo, Egypt
Tel.:+20-2-3316000-3316136 (Dir.)
Fax.:+20-2-7495981-3373419
E-mail: [email protected]
JeanLouis Blanchez
Forestry Officer
Forest Products and Economics Division
Forestry Department
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Tel.:+39-065705
Fax.:+39-0657052151
E-mail: [email protected]
(Ms) Qiang Ma
Forestry Officer (Econometrics)
Forest Products and Economics Division
Forestry Department
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Tel.:+39-0657055011
Fax.:+39-0657055137
E-mail: [email protected]
Abdel Ahmed Gorashi El Mahi
Consultant, Regional Office for the Near East
P.O. Box 2223
Cairo, Egypt
Tel.:+20-2-3316000
Fax.:+20-2-7495981-3373419
E-mail:[email protected]
