외교부

Congratulatory Remarks of H.E. Mr. Lee Taeho
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
on the occasion of the 1st Assembly of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization(AFoCO)
Seoul, November 12, 2018

Deputy Minister Park Jong-ho of the Korea Forest Service,
Mr. Park Eun-Sik, Acting Executive Director of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO),
Distinguished Guests from the AFoCO Member countries,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to be here today on the eve of
the first Assembly of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you at this welcoming dinner.

In 2009, at the first ASEAN-ROK commemorative summit
held in Jeju Island,
my Government proposed the establishment
of a cooperation mechanism on sustainable forest management.

In less than a decade,
today we celebrate the important milestone of gathering together
for this first time.
By inaugurating this first AFoCO assembly,
we are entering a new chapter on the road
towards strengthening our forest cooperation.

This achievement would not be possible
without the dedication and determination
of each nation present in this hall.
Thank you all for your commitment and please accept
my heartfelt appreciation and congratulations to all of you.

Excellences, Distinguished Guests,

AFoCO is not only about forest cooperation.
Its role and mission extend far beyond that.

AFoCO can play a critical role
in fulfilling the global mission in the context of the United Nations’
17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As a matter of fact, Goal 15 says:
“Life in Land: plant a tree and help protect the environment.”

This call for targeted efforts
to preserve diverse forms of life on land
captures AFoCO’s mission.
At its core, AFoCO will serve as a premier channel
to share forest restoration experiences
and forest-related best practices.
AFoCO may assist its members,
through capacity building activities in particular,
in implementing a whole range of reforestation projects
in response to their needs.

For Korea, AFoCO presents an opportunity
to practice my Government’s New Southern Policy.
Announced last year,
the New Southern Policy seeks mutual cooperation
between Korea, ASEAN, and other partner countries in Asia
to bring co-prosperity in the years to come.
Under this Policy, the Korean government is ready to contribute
to the development of reforestation experience
and technology of AFoCO member countries.

I assure you that my government,
through close coordination with our Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the Korea Forest Service,
will make every effort to help AFoCO hit the group running
towards the fulfillment of its intended goals.

Taking advantage of this opportunity,
I would also like to highlight
the importance of expanding AFoCO membership.
My government hopes more countries,
including nations going through the ratification process
after signing the Agreement, will join AFoCO in the near future.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Anticipating closer cooperation among the AFoCO member countries,
I would like to express my confidence
that AFoCO will grow into a full-fledged regional organization
that helps all of Asia
enjoy and share the benefits of sustainable forest management, promoting the quality of life for its peoples.

Thank you very much.