Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour to deliver these brief remarks on behalf of the G77  and China on Financing for  the Sustainable Management of  all types of forests

- As we had mentioned in our opening statement yesterday, the primary barrier to sustainable forest management in developing countries is insufficient funding. The financial gap can only be addressed by dedicating resources to support the implementation of sustainable forest management, the achievement of the global objectives on forests, and the implementation of the non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests.

- In this regard, G-77 and China proposes the establishment of a Global Forest Fund, which would tap all sources of financial support committed to promoting sustainable forest management, including funding afforestation and reforestation activities, in order to provide new and additional financial resources to developing countries. It would also facilitate access to funding for developing countries.

- The Group urges for the provision of new and additional funding from all sources,  including voluntary, for promoting sustainable forest management. The Fund would aim at supporting the implementation of sustainable forest management, the achievement of the global objectives on forests, and the implementation of the non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests.  

The G77 and China believes that that the following are principles for enhanced global action for the provision of new and additional financial resources:
  
The Fund shall:

1. Be underpinned by the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and the sovereignty of States over their natural resources, as contained in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, as well as the principle of equity;
2. Operate under the authority and guidance of the UNFF, and be fully accountable to member states;
3. Be governed by a transparent and efficient intergovernmental mechanism, where representation shall be determined on the basis of equitable geographical distribution;
4. Be equally accessible to developing countries without conditionalities;
5. Enable direct access to funding by all developing countries with all types of forests; and
6. Ensure recipient country involvement during the stages of identification, definition and implementation, rendering it truly demand driven;

The Fund will aim at:

- Generating and mobilizing significantly increased new and additional financial resources from all sources for the implementation of sustainable forest management, for all types of forests, and the achievement of the Four Global Objectives on forests, and the implementation of the non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests.
- Allow for the transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries, and to promote forest research as scientific tool for sustainable forest management.
- Promote capacity building for human resources for SFM, particularly targeting local communities in developing countries, and including through South-South and triangular cooperation.
- Recognize, promote and strengthen the significance of engagement at the country level, in order to give effect to the principles of national ownership and demand driven approach, and direct access to funding.
- Ensure greater transparency, should provide enhanced support for development as well as for the formulation/development and implementation of strategies and plans of action.  
- Provide funding to reforestation and afforestation projects in countries with low forest cover.