Ralph Ridder – ATIBT Directeur Général in                               On the newswire | December 2014: 

Dear readers, 2014 is ending very positively for ATIBT! - This month, ATIBT signed two new projects, each worth EUR 1.5 M; one with AFD on marketing of certified tropical wood products and the second one with the EU Commission on supporting their legality / FLEGT process via an ATIBT induced industry involvement. ATIBT can thus open two new positions: one, already announced, will be based in Brazzaville and aims to reinforce our sustainable forest management programme. A Marketing Director position will be announced later on, in December 2015...

ATIBT’s near future looks bright as more donor funding for new projects in 2015 and in 2016 is under discussion.

 
This month, our newly set up Bureau exécutif met for the first time. This new governance body will support ATIBT’s decision making in-between Board meetings. One of the key decisions of our 1st meeting in Zurich was to organize the ATIBT Forum 2015 at Milan World Expo, known as EXPO 2015. Our Forum should take place during 3 days, the week of 5 October 2015. Please save the date in your calendar and start planning your visit to Milan! Regular updates on the Forum programme and organization will follow.
 
ATIBT Members are to meet at the Extraordinary General Assembly on Friday 16 January 2015 afternoon in the Jardin Tropical, the ATIBT premises in Nogent-sur-Marne. Please designate another ATIBT member to vote on decisions on your behalf in case you won’t attend. The required quorum should be reached, if the new ATIBT statutes are to be adopted. Our Board meeting is of paramount importance, too, as ATIBT’s new governance structure should be introduced and a new ATIBT board elected, according to the new statutes.
 
I’d like to say a big thank you to all our members and partners for your trust and support in 2014! I wish you relaxed and peaceful holidays and a Happy New Year!

Yours,