Annual Regional Non-State Actors Forum for V4MF

The Voices for Mekong Forests (V4MF) project, funded by the European Union, aims to strengthen the voices of nonstate actors in forest governance. The project host event on Engaging people in forest governance in the Greater Mekong Annual Regional Non-State Actors Forum in Bangkok 23-25 September 2019 at Kasetsart University, Ku Home, Bangkok, Thailand which participate partners from Cambodia, Thailand, Loa PDR, Vietnam and Myanmar. It is for the first time of the Forum include a learning fair and a communication workshop.

Open, Mr. Robin, V4MF Coordinator, welcome all participants active participate and introduced and update on each organization and introduced two guest honors. He street that it is first time to invite communication staff to joined the event, but also share information and brainstorm ways to improve and accelerate communication and knowledge management activities.

Dr. CHANDRA Silori, Recoftc in Thailand, the commitment of EU, to continue survival of people living dependent on forest. This event is aim for improve capacity building for partners which related forestry governance, monitoring and advocacy, but all so will share information and brainstorm ways to improve and accelerate communication and knowledge management activities with a focus on strategy, capacity development and storytelling.

Mr. Pheap Sophea, Land and Forestry Program Manager, presented​ on Effective NSA engagement in REDD+ that NGOF Forum is strengthening cooperation and capacity of CSO-REDD+ members for effective engagement in National REDD+ program and forest governance. In addition, NGOF enhance awareness and participation of NSA for conservation and evidence-based information, and promote concept of co-management for community participation in natural resources conservation. From his point of view, he observed that NSAs should strengthen capacity for effective engagement with government and stakeholder for good forest governance and the engagement would be worked through evident-based dialogue.

The European Union-funded Voices for Mekong Forests project amplifies the voices of local communities within forest governance. In the five Greater Mekong countries, illegal logging, rural poverty and deforestation threaten communities that depend on forests. V4MF supports regional and local civil society networks to monitor forests, communicate effectively, participate fully in policy processes such as the FLEGT VPA and REDD+, and learn from each other.