End-of-project workshop: “Strengthening the capacity of CSOs and forest-dependent communities to effective participate in the VPA process”

On 6th, March, 2015, the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD), in cooperation with Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA), held the closing workshop of the project “Strengthening the capacity of CSOs and forest-dependent communities to effective participate in the VPA process” at the guest house of the Ministry of Defense located in 33 Pham Ngu Lao, Hanoi. The project was funded by EO FAO FLEGT program from January 2014 to March 2015 with the total budget of 127,135 USD.

The workshop attracted more than 50 participants from non-government organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), project’s donors (EU and FAO), and representatives of media agencies including Mr. Le Cong Luong – Chief of Office of VUSTA, Mrs. Nguyen Tuong Van - representative of Permanent Office of the Steering Committee of FLEGT and Lacey , Mr Bruno Cammeart - Representative of EU FAO FLEGT program and Mrs Vu Thi Bich Hop - SRD’s Director cum Chief executive of VNGO-FLEGT network.

(Picture: Workshop)

 Over the project’s course of 15 months, the project has made significant contribution toward assessing the potential impacts of VPA/ FLEGT on livelihood of venerable groups, increasing community awareness of VPA/ FLEDGT and improving capacity of the VNGO-FLEGT network and local officers. In Phu Luong district (Thai Nguyen) and Yen Binh district (Yen Bai), SRD and other member organizations had conducted community research based on Livelihood Impact Assessment method and two community-level communications campaigns attended by more than 200 people. Furthermore, the project supported capacity building for the network and local officers through training activities, research, and developing communication material on FLEGT, such as a training workshop on LIA for 25 participants from the VNGO-FLEGTand government officers of the 2 project districts and a training workshop on organizing community-level communication campaigns for 30 participants from VNGO-FLEGT. 

(Picture: Representative of Forest Trend commenting at the workshop)

The workshop is an opportunity to share the results of the project over the past 15 months as well as formulate detailed 2015 action plan of the VNGO-FELGT network in 2015.  Speaking at the workshop, Mrs. Vu Thi Bich Hop, Director of SRD said “The results that the project has achieved over the last year will pave the way for SRD and the VNGO-FLEGT network to continue implement community activities in 2015 and the years following”. This is also a chance for government agencies, civil society organizations and sponsors to share information and enhance cooperation to strongly support community and promote the “for the community” spirit of NGOs and CSOs.

Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) program is an initiative of European Union to reduce illegally logging and trade timber. The action plan focuses on negotiation and implementation of Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA) with timber-exporting countries to ensure legal origin of imported timber. Negotiation process of VPA in Vietnam started in 2010 but has not finished yet. Accompanying each step of the process, the VNGO-FLEGT has made greatly important contribution towards improving people’s awareness of VPA/FLEGT, promoting consensus among different VPA stakeholders, especially forest-dependent communities and reducing potential negative impacts of VPA/FLEGT. 

- SRD -

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