11 December 2019, Nay Pyi Taw
UN-REDD Programme Management Unit conducted 8th Programme Executive Board (PEB) Meeting at Forest Department in Nay Pyi Taw. The meeting was intended for reviewing the activities and progress of the UN-REDD Programme Implementation and requesting decisions from Board Members on 2020 Annual Work Plan.
At opening of the meeting, chair of Programme Executive Board, Dr. Nyi Nyi Kyaw, Director General of Forest Department gave opening speech. In his opening remark, he said, “we need to develop mechanisms to ensure effective cooperation between the forest sector and other sectors whose activities affect forests, especially agriculture. And the time has come when UN-REDD, and Myanmar’s REDD+ Programme, need to reach out and make progress beyond the forest sector. I look to you to advise on how we can ensure future cooperation with all partners beyond the end of the UN-REDD Programme.”
Mr. Gordon Johnson, Resident Representative a.i. of UNDP and Co-chair of PEB, gave welcome message. He appreciated on level of ambition of Myanmar in reducing emission from deforestation. He said, “I realized it is not easy target to achieve and recognized there might be some resistance to set this kind of target. That is definitely why we sit here, and we would encourage Forest Department, Director General and Government of Myanmar to be as ambitious as possible and practical.”
According to follow- up meeting session, Dr. Thaung Naing Oo, Director of Forest Department and National Programme Director of UN-REDD Myanmar presented about “State of advance UN-REDD Programme in Myanmar, development towards major targets for 2019.” In his presentation, Dr. Thaung Naing Oo explained about annual progress against 2019.
Daw Khin Hnin Myint, National Programme Coordinator of UN-REDD explained about fulfillment of actions on decisions set during previous PEB meeting in July 2019. And then, Mr. Timothy Boyle, Chief Technical Advisor from UN-REDD updated about “Administration of Norwegian funds for mangrove implementation”. He stressed that Norway has technically cleared the UN-REDD Programme submission to address REDD+ in mangroves. And he also urged the PEB members to deicide the role of the PEB in overseeing these activities.
After it, Mr. Timothy Boyle gave update on REDD+ Strategy and Investment Plan. He mentioned that EAO’s consulted (before and during the National Validation Workshop) have expressed support for forest conservation and sustainable management in general. During the National Validation Workshop, it was proposed that a NCA-S EAO REDD+ Action Plan should be drafted, which would be consistent with the National REDD+ Strategy, but which could include relevant policies and measures and specify targets.
At the final section of the meeting, Daw Khin Hnin Myint, National Programme Coordinator of UN-REDD presented about Annual Work Plan 2020 and requested PEB members’ decision and approval. After that, PEB members decided tentative date and topics for next PEB meeting. Total 18 attendants were presented at 8th Programme Executive Board Meeting.
