NEW YORK — May 5, 2025 — The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is participating in the 20th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF20) at the UN Headquarters in New York, running from May 5 to May 9, 2025. This session centers on advancing the implementation of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2030 (UNSPF), a global framework guiding forest-related work by the UN and its partners.
The Forum will focus on the alignment of global forest goals with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), alongside the upcoming 2025 and 2026 sessions of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). Key discussions will also explore the interconnections between these global objectives, as well as the global forest-related developments crucial to the future of sustainable forest management.
Leading the SADC delegation is Ms. Ndapanda Kanime, Senior Programme Officer for Natural Resources and Wildlife at the SADC Secretariat. During the opening session, Ms. Kanime spoke about the region’s ongoing contribution to the UNSPF, noting that SADC Member States have integrated the goals of the strategic plan into their national forestry programs.
She also urged continued regional collaboration, pointing out that the SADC Forestry Strategy is designed to empower Member States to sustainably manage both national and cross-border forest resources. This includes using a combination of unilateral, bilateral, regional, and international frameworks to foster economic development and preserve essential ecosystem services for the people of the SADC region.
The Forum also saw representatives from SADC Member States, including Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, sharing their national experiences and progress in implementing forestry programs that align with global forest goals and the UNSPF.
In addition, the establishment of the Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network, which aims to help countries access data on forest financing, was welcomed by Ms. Kanime. She also acknowledged the efforts of the UNFF Secretariat in promoting communication and outreach strategies related to the UNSPF.
