The 27th ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry (ASOF 27) Meeting is being held in Indonesia from July 18-19, with the participation of various ASEAN member countries and international partners. On the sidelines, Vietnam and Cambodia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance bilateral cooperation in forestry for the 2024-2029 period. Key collaboration areas include information sharing, investment promotion in forestry and timber trade, scientific research, forest protection, ecosystem restoration, and transboundary biodiversity conservation.

During the meeting, Vietnam presented updates on its forest resources, new policies on sustainable forest management, and international forestry commitments. The Vietnamese delegation also discussed cooperation opportunities and challenges with other ASEAN countries and international organizations to mobilize resources for Vietnam's forestry sector. The conference addressed topics like the ASEAN Forestry Cooperation Strategy (2016-2025), sustainable forest management, forestry product development, climate change, CITES implementation, and law enforcement on wildlife.

Representatives from nine ASEAN countries, international partners such as China, AFoCO, FAO, CIFOR, GIZ, EU-FLEGT Programme, and UN-REDD Asia Programme participated in the event. Timor-Leste attended as an observer, focusing on new programs, projects, and cooperative initiatives in the ASEAN region.

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