Multi-Stakeholder Coordination Meeting

Yangon, Myanmar, 26thJune 2018 Open and constructive cooperation MFCC Chairman, U Shwe Kyaw, opened the meeting, encouraging open and constructive cooperation to help realise the project goals and deliver an operational national forest certification system in Myanmar within the next two years. In its first year, the project has helped to strengthen the MFCC secretariat, field test Myanmar’s timber legality assurance system (MTLAS) and establish cooperation between EU buyers and Myanmar wood industries. Project partners have also created the national system documentation and conducted auditor training. “Over the last six months, the auditor trainings and participatory assessments have been instrumental in building a robust pathway for credible assessments against the Myanmar Forest Certification System,” said Mr. Gan Boon Keong, an international forestry certification assessor who carried out the auditor training. “Whilst Myanmar faces challenges to demonstrate the sustainability of its forest products, this first year has laid the necessary foundation to meet the project goals, and in particular develop the capacity of key partners to take the project forward,” concluded Richard Laity, PEFC International Development Officer, Southeast Asia.