PAPUA New Guinea will host the Second One Forest Summit next year (2025).
Managing Director of the National Forest Service (NFS), Mr. John Mosoro, announced this during the organization’s 49th Independence celebrations on 13th September, 2024 in Port Moresby.
Mr. Mosoro said this, confirming an announcement made by the Minister for Forests Hon. Salio Waipo in his published Independence message.
Details of the 2nd One Forest Summit will be made known in due course, however, PNG Forest Authority, overarching body of the NFS, in collaboration with other government agencies will soon form a committee to oversee preparations.
The first One Forest Summit was held in Lebreville, Gabon, Africa from March 1-2, 2023, which Prime Minister James Marape attended, at the invitation of France President Emmanuel Macron.
PM Marape who gave the keynote address then was accompanied by Minister Waipo and the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Hon. Simon Kilepa.
Before his trip to Gabon last year, Marape had said: “Rainforests play a crucial role in maintaining a balance of our eco system. Globally speaking, PNG is part of the Island of New Guinea which constitutes one third of the world’s forests. It’s a huge global asset we have in our country”.
Managing Director Mosoro who was also part of the PNG Delegation to Gabon, said that PNG’s hosting of the 2nd One Forest Summit will be significant now that the Marape/Rosso Government has acknowledged forestry as an important economic sector with the country now known as a forest nation.
Over 20 countries met in Libreville, Gabon, in March 2023, for the First One Forestry Summit dedicated to seeking solutions to protect tropical forests.