On November the 8th 2017, the second meeting of the Core group on VPA/FLEGT was organized under the chairmanship of Mr. Nguyen Van Ha, the General Deputy Director of Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST).
Ms. Nguyen Tuong Van, Deputy Director of Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation and Standing Office of the Steering Committee of FLEGT and Lacey prepared the first meeting of the Joint Preparatory Committee (JPC). The Joint Experts Meeting (JEM) and JPC will be held on November the 16th and 17th 2017.
Two parties will discuss the following contents: (i) functions, responsibilities, and operational methods of the joint expert group; (ii) joint implementation framework (JIF); (iii) current situation of legal review and finalization of VPA documentation package; (iv) draft regulation of operation of the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC); (v) ongoing work; and (vi) annual route.
After the first meeting of June the 2nd 2017, the parties were able to reach agreements on certain points with respect to the role of the core group. Mr. Edwin Shank, who is the coordinator of VPA/FLEGT in Vietnam, presented the functions, responsibilities and operational methods of the VPA/FLEGT core group.
In accordance with the Center for Education and Development’s (CED’s) communication theme, the delegates have agreed to nominate Ms. To Kim Lien, the Director of CED, to co-chair the team meeting to be held on November the 16th and 17th and to represent the core group at this meeting.
At the meeting, Ms. Doan Thi To Uyen, a representative of the consultant group, assessed the impact of the VPA/FLEGT Agreement (“the Agreement”). The Agreement focused on economics, society, environment, administrative process and legal factors in an effort to study new impacts and to propose solutions in response to any adverse findings that arose from the Agreement. Further, the delegates representing various organizations (such as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Forest Trend, Center for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD), Forest Owners Association, CED, Center for People and Nature, Lam Research Institute Student, and Academy of Forestry Science) updated and discussed upcoming activities and events related to VPA/FLEGT of their respective organizations. The meeting took note of these activities and the parties agreed to coordinate them in the most effective way.
