ECO Secretary General Ambassador Khusrav Noziri held a virtual meeting with Ms. Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo, Director of the United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat (UNFFS) on April 25, 2023. Participants from the Energy, Minerals and Environment Directorate of the ECO Secretariat and UNFFS representatives also attended the meeting.
The meeting discussed the ways for strengthening the collaboration between ECO and UNFFS in the areas of mutual interest. Highlighting the environmental challenges and extreme climate conditions, the Secretary General emphasized that environment and climate change are cross-sectoral priorities of ECO, and the ECO Vision 2025 underscored sustainability as one of its core principles. He also noted that the ECO Secretariat is aiming at developing applicable approaches for enhancing regional concerted actions and international cooperation on environment, and as such, ECO is keen on strengthening its relations with UNFFS.
The Director of the UNFFS while assuring her full support in strengthening collaboration between the two organizations and highlighting the upcoming events on forests and climate change which could be instrumental for such a purpose, offered holding further interactions at technical level to develop more concrete ideas in this respect.
Appreciating the meeting as an initial step for stronger collaboration, both sides stood eager and ready to continue with further interactions with a view to produce a practical framework of cooperation.
