Please download : Final report of the ATIBT FORUM 2015 "Tropical Wood Feeding The Future"

The ATIBT Forum 2015 was held from 14 to 16 October in Milan (Italy), during the Universal Exposition, to raise awareness about the key role of tropical forest management and products trade.

About 190 participants representing civil society, public administrations and the private sector have seized the opportunity to exchange on 14 and 15 October in a professional and friendly manner; these lively discussions culminated on 16 October in a training workshop targeting architects (a premiere in ATIBT’s history), joined by 280 participants 120 of whom later visited EXPO Milan 20152 . Amongst the 21 countries registered to the ATIBT Forum 2015 were Belgium, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, China, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Gabon, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Monaco, Morocco, the Netherlands, the Republic of Congo, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vietnam.

In his welcome speech, ATIBT President Robert HUNINK spurred the participants to tackle « innovative ideas for private companies and organizations ». Stefano CORA’ welcomed the participants on behalf of FederlegnoArredo, reminding them how Italy, host country of the Forum as well as of the universal exposition, achieved transforming wood in art, history and culture, from the Renaissance on.

Gabon’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Forest and Sea Flore Joséphine MISTOUL YAME, underlined Gabon’s willingness to revise its Forestry Code: «The revision will be associated to a tax reform meant to make sustainable forest management attractive to economic operators, with a view to enhancing the production of value-added forest products at the same time as ensuring Gabon’s biodiversity protection». Grégoire NKEOUA, Advisor of the Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Forest Economy and Sustainable Development (MEFDD) and Vincent KONGO, Directeur de Cabinet of the Central African Republic’s Ministry of Waters, Forests, Hunting and Fishing delivered the speeches prepared by Minister Henri DJOMBO and Minister Isabelle GAUDUILLE, respectively, who had to cancel their participation in the Forum owing to in-country impediments.

For more informations Please download the report here below: