The Forest Convergence Plan for the Sustainable Management and Utilization of Forest Ecosystems in West Africa has been officially endorsed by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in December 2013. It is now moving to the implementation stage with involvement of the fifteen ECOWAS member countries and a number of key sub-regional and international organizations, including FAO. It is very important to use the COFO window to present the key objectives and priority areas of the Plan highlighting its focus on transboundary issues and other issues of common interest linked to shared resources.

Focus group discussion on FO's publications, covering relevance and quality of content, medium, format, dissemination channels, timeliness and appropriate language versions in order to reach our key target audiences. To attend this meeting, please contact Suzanne Lapstun.

By invitation

By invitation. Extraordinary session of the Committee on Mediterranean Forestry Questions-Silva Mediterranea Draft Agenda: 1) Discussion on the Evaluation of the Committee on Mediterranean Forestry Questions-Silva Mediterranea 2) Discussion on the fourth Mediterranean Forest Week (IV MFW) to be held in Barcelona in March 2015

In a time when incidence and impacts of wildfires seem to increase due to climate change, demographic changes and management practices amongst others, in the organization of the 6th International Wildland Fire Conference is more than needed. After previous editions in Boston (1989), Vancouver (1997), Sydney (2007) and Sun City (2011) the next Conference will take place in Pyeong Chang, Korea from 12 to 16 October 2015. The Conference provides a global platform for all stakeholders in forest and other vegetation fire management and bring together as well the help the regional networks on fire management. The theme of the Conference is: Fire of the past, Fire of the future. The event will be organized by the Korea Forest Service, under the auspices and support of FAO and UNISDR and with support from ITTO, the Global Fire Monitoring Centre, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and South Africa.

The objectives of this special event organized jointly by the Government of South Africa and FAO on the XIV World Forestry Congress are to: promote wide participation in the Congress; discuss ways in which the Congress can strengthen the role of forests and forestry in sustainable development and to support the development of the forestry sector in the national as well as international contexts; and to provide an overview of preparations, and of host country and the venue. Website: www.fao.org/forestry/wfc

The meeting will discuss the results of the "International Seminar on REDD+ Implementation and Sustainable Forest Management" held in Tokyo, Japan, on 6-7 February 2014.

Presentation of World Parks Congress Stream 4: Supporting Human Life, focusing on the role of protected areas for food security and nutrition, watershed management and disaster risk reduction.

This side event is proposed in the framework of the Independent Review of the IPA-related governance reforms, approved by the Council at its 148th session in December 2013. The Review team will inform COFO delegates about the purpose and process and to canvass the views of participants on the following issues: i. the results of the governance reforms on COFO. Examples are: the adjustments in the rules and procedures for COFO Bureau, the double reporting from COFO to Council on programme and budgetary matters and to Conference on global policy and regulation matters, changes in agenda setting, work in the inter-sessional period. ii. what remains to be done and what should or could be done differently to improve efficiency and effectiveness of COFO.

Demo session on the features and use of the SFM toolbox followed by feedback from participants