Welcome Message
Professor Edith Vries
Director-General of
Agriculture,
Forestry
and Fisheries
The theme of the Congress is “Forest and People: Investing in a Sustainable Future”, and will be a partnership initiative between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of South Africa.
It gives me great pleasure as the Director-General of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to invite you all to participate in this great event.
The XIV World Forestry Congress 2015, an event hosted every six years, aims to renew commitment from various sector players to profile forestry as a viable option to attract foreign direct investment, much needed to address the growing challenges faced by the sector globally.
The World Forestry Congress provides a platform for the global forestry community to meet and share ideas and experiences to arrive at a mutually enriching goal, that of seeking ways of reversing forest degradation and deforestation.
It also provides an opportunity not only to share our experience but also to learn from others in our quest to meet our goal of sustainable forest management and development
This exchange of information, ideas and experiences will enhance our understanding of the issues and challenges facing the sector and the actions to be undertaken in order to ensure a sustainable future for the forests.
South Africa is one of the most diverse and interesting countries in the world. It is highly diverse in terms of its climate, culture and tourism activities.
I encourage you to make the most of your visit here to South Africa and the many wonders of our beautiful country and to enjoy our warm hospitality.
