The UN-REDD Programme's ninth Policy Board meeting will take place in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo from 26-27 October 2012.

In a special opening address, the Republic of the Congo's Minister of Forestry, Economy and Sustainable Development, H.E. Henri Djombo and UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Lamin Manneh, will welcome more than 100 participants from around the world to the ninth UN-REDD Programme Policy Board meeting in Brazzaville 26-27 October 2012. This will be the first Policy Board meeting held in Africa since March 2010.

These meetings are critically important as they provide a forum for the full range of UN-REDD Programme stakeholders to participate in the decisions that shape the future direction of the Programme. At the ninth meeting, several new civil society and indigenous peoples representativeswill begin their term as members of the board.

The Policy Board will hear presentations from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Indonesia and Viet Nam on the results and completion of their UN-REDD National Programmes, approved at previous Policy Board meetings between 2009 and 2010. Progress in the UN-REDD Programme's "Support to National REDD+ Actions" Global Programme will be presented, including updates on the Programme's work in the area of: measurement, reporting, verification, monitoring and information systems; multiple benefits of REDD+ and a green economy; and gender and REDD+. A revised workplan and budget for the Global Programme will also be presented for the Board's consideration and decision.

At the ninth Policy Board meeting, the Programme is also pleased to continue its lessons learned series with the official launch of its Africa Lessons Learned booklet in English, French and Spanish. These booklets will be available on the UN-REDD Programme website as of 25 October, 2012. Download the Programme's previous Asia-Pacific Lessons learned booklets in English, French and Spanish, which were launched at COP17.

Once again, the UN-REDD Programme is pleased to be coordinating with the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) in holding back-to-back governing meetings (FCPF's Participants Committee meeting is happening 21-23 October), in order to streamline travel arrangements for participants attending both meetings. The FCPF and UN-REDD Programme, along with the European Forest Institute, will also hold a joint session on Forest Governance on 23 October.

Field Visits
On 24 October, 2012, the Republic of the Congo will host three one-day field visits for UN-REDD Programme and FCPF participants in Brazzaville, to visit a managed and certified forest area in Pokola; a gorilla sanctuary in Lessio-Louna; and a visit to the Imbounou hydroelectric dam.

The Republic of the Congo joined the UN-REDD Programme as partner country and observer to the Policy Board in February 2010, and had their UN-REDD National Programme endorsed earlier this year in March, at the Programme's eighth Policy Board meeting in Asuncion, Paraguay.