#22 September 2011

In two weeks, the UN-REDD Programme will host its seventh Policy Board meeting in Berlin, Germany. 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 upcoming Policy Board meeting in Berlin, Nigeria—a partner country of the Programme since February 2010—will present its National Programme document and funding request for the Board’s consideration. Part of Nigeria’s presentation will highlight their most recent REDD+ progress, including exciting work in the area of piloting participatory governance assessments. Last month’s bomb attack on the UN headquarters in Abuja has not discouraged Nigeria from moving ahead with its National Programme.

The Policy Board will also hear informal presentations from Colombia, Guatemala, Republic of Congo and Sri Lanka on current efforts to prepare REDD+ strategies. Progress in the UN-REDD Global Programme will be presented, including updates on the Programme’s work in the area of Monitoring and Information and REDD+ as well as progress in developing guidelines for upholding free, prior and informed consent (FPIC). Further clarification requested by the Policy Board on the Global Programme Framework Document (approved inter-sessionally in August) will also be presented.

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 in Berlin 17-19 October), in order to streamline travel arrangements for participants attending both meetings. The FCPF and UN-REDD Programme will also hold a one-day planning meeting between these two governing meetings, to discuss various points related to coordinating support to countries.

As always, we welcome the opportunity to interact with country representatives as well as the diverse stakeholders, including civil society and Indigenous Peoples, who will participate in our upcoming Policy Board meeting. To those of you joining the UN-REDD Programme and FCPF in Berlin, travel safe and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Yemi Katerere

Head of the UN-REDD Programme Secretariat