Statement of the Royal Government
on
National Forest
Sector Policy
The Royal
Government of Cambodia is endeavoring to implement a coordinated set of laws,
programs, action plans, and institutional arrangements regarding forest
resources which are directed toward enabling the achievement of national goals
of environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction,
socio-economic development, and good governance, as described in the Policy
Statement of the Royal Government of Cambodia on Forestry, the Socio-economic
Development Plan, the Poverty Reduction Strategy, and the Governance Action
Plan. This set of national goals directed to the sustainable development of the
Nation provides the overall development framework for the conservation and
management of the country’s forest resources.
The Royal
Government of Cambodia considers the ecologically, socially and economically
viable conservation and management of forest resources as a major pillar of
public welfare directly contributing to environmental protection, poverty
reduction and socio-economic development.
The Royal
Government of Cambodia commits itself to the conservation and management of the
country’s unique forest resources in a sustainable manner now and for future
generations. The results and the follow up processes of the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 are
taken into account to consider the concept of sustainable forest management
within the framework of the sustainable development of Cambodia. The Royal
Government of Cambodia acknowledges the multiple perceptions, interests and
objectives of the numerous forest interest groups of the country’s society, in
the region of the Mekong Basin and at the global level regarding the
conservation and sustainable management of forest resources.
The
objectives of these initiatives within the set of national goals regarding forest resources are:
-
The conservation and the sustainable management of the country’s forest
resources shall provide a maximum contribution to the sustainable socio-economic
development of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
-
The remaining forest resources of the country shall be considered as
Permanent Forest Estate and managed by exclusively promoting conservation and
sustainable forest management initiatives that directly contribute to the
rehabilitation and conservation of a maximum stock of forested land and forest
resources.
-
Within the context of conservation and sustainable forest management
initiatives, a maximum involvement of the private sector and participation of
the local population shall be achieved in order to ensure food security, poverty
reduction and socio-economic development.
-
A wide range of coordinated multi-stakeholder processes shall be
implemented to enable the harmonization of the different perceptions, interests
and objectives of the various forest interest groups at all levels.
-
To continue to support forestation of arable land and to protect those
trees for the development of forest resources.
The
commitment to accomplish the national forest goals:
For the
achievement of the national goals of environmental protection, biodiversity
conservation, poverty reduction, economic development, and good governance, the
Government will endeavor to accomplish the following tasks:
1.
Forest Resource Conservation:
-
To
reclassify and to dedicate the major part of remaining natural forest stands to
their ecosystems protection and biodiversity conservation functions.
-
To
promote conservation and protection strategies such as protected forests,
watershed management, genetic and wildlife resources conservation, eco-tourism,
and special management areas with a maximum participation of the local
population.
-
To
implement the strict application of the Code of Practice as regulatory framework
for the sustainable management of forest resources and forest concessions.
-
To
conduct extension, education and public awareness campaigns at all levels of the
Cambodian society.
2.
Good Governance:
-
To
implement capacity building, institutional strengthening and research programs
at all levels.
-
To
conduct education, training and public awareness campaigns, with particular
regard to the participation of local populations within conservation and
sustainable forest management plans.
-
To
establish a forest administration in which necessary steps of devolution of
decision-making power can take place and in which functional procedures for
multi-institutional collaborations are grounded.
-
To
encourage, implement and coordinate multi-stakeholder processes that enable the
harmonization of the different perceptions, interests and objectives of the
various forest interest groups at local, regional and international levels.
-
To
promote transparent information for the forest sector.
3. Socio-Economic
Development:
-
To
promote the high socio-economic value of forest ecosystems protection and
biodiversity conservation functions of natural forest resources.
-
To
promote the substitution of timber supply from natural forest stands by timber
plantations through encouraging private investment and public participation.
-
To
optimize the use, processing and marketing system for forest products especially
plantation forest products to support domestic demand, and export markets.
4.
Poverty Reduction:
-
To
recognize legally and protect the traditional rights of local populations to use
forest resources under the framework of food security and poverty reduction
considerations.
-
To
optimize the benefits to local populations from the use and management of forest
resources through the implementation of forestry and wildlife conservation
concept based on the participation of local populations.
In addition to
the set of national goals directed to the development framework for the
conservation and sustainable management of forest resources the Royal Government
of Cambodia acknowledges international issues, processes and commitments
occurring as a result of the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and its follow-up
processes relevant to the country’s forest resources. The Royal Government of
Cambodia envisions that a long term National Forest Programme (NFP) will be
implemented consistent with the framework of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Forests/Intergovernmental Forum on Forests promoted by the International
Arrangement on Forests with the United Nations Forum on Forests and the
Collaborative Partnership on Forests.
Phnom Penh, 26 July 2002
Prime Minister
HUN SEN
