The First Pu’er Forum on Asia-Pacific Forests was opened on 24 October 2023 at APFNet Pu’er Forest Sustainable Management Demonstration and Training Base in Yunnan, China, drawing about 150 representatives from governments of 14 Asia-Pacific countries, research institutions, academies, NGOs and private sectors.

Consisting of high-level segment and technical sessions, the 3-day event aims to enhance regional networking among governments, businesses, academia and research institutes, and organizations and agencies, to further promote on-the-ground forestry exchange and cooperation, contributing to the realization of Sustainable Development Goals and Global Development Initiative.

Representing event organizers and invited participants, several senior officials addressed the opening ceremony. They reiterated the significant role of forests in sustainable development and called for enhanced dialogues for collaborations on forest rehabilitation and sustainable forest management.

The opening ceremony also witnessed the official launch of the Global Network for Sustainable Forest Management (GFN). Initiated by the Chinese Government and issued as one of the 32 deliverables of High-Level Dialogue on Global Development, held in June 2022 in China, GFN aims to promote sustainable forest management, advance the Global Development Initiative, accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and build harmony between man and nature. APFNet is entrusted to operate GFN as a programme, which is open to all countries, especially members of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative, and welcomes partnerships with international organizations. Under the GFN programme, demonstration projects, capacity building, policy dialogue and information sharing will be carried out.