Asian Forest Cooperation Organization

Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (or AFoCO) is an intergovernmental organization in Asia aiming to strengthen forest cooperation by transforming proven technology and policies into concrete actions in the context of sustainable forest management to address the impact of climate change.
History.
Background.
The establishment of AFoCO was proposed by the Republic of Korea (ROK) at the ASEAN–Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit in 2009 in Jeju, ROK. The establishment of AFoCO was welcomed by all ASEAN leaders.
ASEAN-ROK Forest Cooperation.
As the initial phase of AFoCO, a cooperation mechanism of ASEAN-ROK Forest Cooperation was formalized by the "Agreement between the Governments of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the ROK on Forest Cooperation" which was signed at the occasion of the 14th ASEAN-ROK Summit on 18 November 2011 in Bali, Indonesia and entered into force on 5 August 2012. 
Dialogue for the Establishment of AFoCO.
A new dialogue for the establishment of AFoCO under a multilateral platform was formed with invitations to Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Timor-Leste. This platform covered a wide range of geographical diversity, stretching from coastal islands to glaciated mountains to central Asia deserts. The Agreement on the Establishment of AFoCO (Agreement) was negotiated through six successive dialogues among ASEAN member states, ROK, and prospective members from 2013 to 2015. The Agreement was adopted on 22 September 2015 and entered into force on 27 April 2018.
Objectives.
AFoCO aims to strengthen forest cooperation by transforming proven technology and policies into concrete actions in the context of sustainable forest management to address the impact of climate change.
Parties.
As of July 2020, 13 countries have deposited respective instruments and are officially registered as parties to AFoCO, in alphabetical order, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, ROK, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam. Two countries, Malaysia and Singapore are participating as observers.
Institutional Arrangements.
The institutional arrangement is stipulated in the Agreement on the Establishment of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization.
Activities.
Areas of Cooperation.
AFoCO promotes and undertakes action-oriented projects in the areas, as stipulated in the agreement, include:
Capacity Building Programs.
Many training courses were conducted to strengthen the capacities of diverse stakeholder groups of the member countries by enhancing knowledge and understanding of forest management and providing greater access to relevant information, skills, and technology. One of the highlights includes the establishment of the Regional Education Training Centre (RETC) in Myanmar. As a part of on-going programs, AFoCO has provided scholarships to MS and PhD students. Government officials from member countries are invited on an annual basis to work at the secretariat office for six to 12 months. Young scientists and researchers are also invited to participate in AFoCO Science and Technology Exchange Partnership (STEP) Program every year.
Sub-regional and Country-Driven Projects.
Since 2011, under the umbrella of the ASEAN-ROK partnership in the forestry sector, the organization embarked on sub-regional projects and individual country-driven projects. The programs and projects cover areas ranging from policy support interventions to engaging villagers in forest restoration and rehabilitation activities. Participatory approaches empowering the local communities, and activities on forest fire and disaster management are implemented to contribute to reducing challenges and conflicts faced in the forest sector. Activities are also implemented for local community livelihood, forest restoration, research and development in genetic resources, among others.