On June the 2nd 2017, the first meeting of the Multi-stakeholder Implementation Core Group was organized to set up the team and agree on representation, functions and operational modalities.
Representatives from the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) and the FLEGT Standing Office attended the meeting, as well as the representatives from 15 social organizations related to VPA/FLEGT from all over the country.
At the meeting, the parties agreed on certain aspects of the core group’s functions, obligations and operational modalities, which are as following:
– Function: the core group will be responsible for coordinating, supporting and producing standard information and training materials for VPA agreement and Vietnam Timber Legality Assurance System (VNTLAS).
– Operational modalities: if necessary, a core group meeting will be held before the Joint Performance Committee (JPC). Regulations will take place regarding to the number of members, attend the meeting to make a group decision (for example, when proposing issues to JPC/ Joint Implementation Committee (JIC). The core group members will appoint one of their representatives to record all exchange information and communication activities within the team.
– Scale: the core group will include representatives of organizations from Central and South Vietnam. It is also possible for related international organizations to join the group (for example, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAORAP), Center for People and Forests (RECOFTC), etc.) as well as the representatives of plantation groups / organizations and community organizations.
In the future, VNFOREST will be responsible for coordinating the implementation of key activities including: summarizing input opinions for VPA impact assessment, which is carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Development (MARD) to submit to the Government (from June 2017 to September 2017); summarizing input comments for the preparation of the JIF Framework (from June 2017 to September 2017); and preparing a standard ‘questionnaires and answerings’ document about the VPA.
