New York, 07 May 2025: The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) is actively engaged in the 20th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF20), taking place from 5 to 9 May 2025 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. This key global forum—under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)—is focused on reviewing progress towards the Global Forest Goals and the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2030, with this session emphasizing Goals 1, 3, and 5: halting deforestation, promoting sustainably managed forests, and enhancing forest governance.

Yokohama, 25 April 2025: ITTO, in partnership with Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), hosted the second regional webinar under the ongoing ITTO-BMEL project titled “Promoting Quality Timber Production in Smallholders and Community-based Teak and Other Valuable Species Plantations in the Tropics.” Held on April 22, 2025, the event brought together forestry experts, researchers, and policymakers to explore the critical role of high-quality planting materials in premium teak production.

Panama City, 24 April 2025: Panama’s Ministry of the Environment (MiAMBIENTE), through its Forest Directorate, has presented an award of recognition to the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) for its crucial support in strengthening forest governance and promoting the legal and sustainable timber trade in the country.

Yokohama, 23 April 2025: TThe International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) has released a landmark study, Tropical Veneer and Plywood: Description, Properties and Conversion Factors, authored by Frances Maplesden and Hamish Pearson. This publication marks a significant advancement in improving the accuracy of reported trade volumes of tropical plywood through better conversion factors in order to enhance transparency of the global trade of tropical wood products.

Yokohama, 21 April 2025: The global timber market sent mixed signals in March, just as the threat of upheaval in international trade clouded the economic outlook for both producer and consumer countries around the world, according to the latest Global Timber Index (GTI) report.

Tokyo, 17 April 2025: The United Nations University (UNU) welcomed ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru to its headquarters in Tokyo as part of the ongoing UN Conversation Series. The event, titled "Tropical forestry as a nature-based solution to climate change resilience, mitigation and adaptation," was moderated by UNU Rector Professor Tshilidzi Marwala and brought together scholars, students, diplomats, and practitioners for a dynamic dialogue on the importance of tropical forests, including in the climate change agenda, amongst others.