Organised and presented by the Trade Advisory Group (TAG). This event, part of the virtual 57th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council, will be open to the public.

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Control measures adopted to slow the spread of the Covid‐19 virus continue to have a devastating impact on manufacturers. In countries with well‐advanced vaccine rollouts, restrictions on movement have eased; in others, however, efforts to protect people from the delta variant remain in place, hindering the recovery of business operations.
The timber industry is facing many challenges, but a priority for all enterprises is to develop protocols for safe working so output can be ramped up. Also crucial are diversifying raw‐material supply chains; coping with disrupted shipping and the consequent catastrophic increases in the cost of international shipping; and managing deliveries at a time when demand is surging for wood products in international markets.
A global economic recovery is possible, but a faster and more effective vaccine rollout globally is essential. Activity has picked up in many sectors, but the pandemic is widening gaps in economic performance between countries and sectors, increasing social inequalities. There is no room for complacency; vaccines must be deployed faster – and globally.
This event, part of the virtual 57th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council, will be open to the public. Please check the ITTO Homepage (ITTO Events) by mid‐November for connection details.
Schedule: Tuesday 30 November 2021 (Japan Standard Time):
- 00 – 18.15 Impacts of Covid on the Latin American forest sector and recovery: Ivan Tomaselli, President SCTP, Brazil
- 15 – 18.30 Challenges on many fronts for Chinese timber enterprises: Wu Shengfu, General Manager of Beijing Greenwood Certification Co., Ltd.
- 30 – 18.45 Surging demand, rising prices, disrupted supply chains ‐ the challenges in the post pandemic US recovery: Bradley McKinney, Executive Director, International Wood Products Association (IWPA)
- 45 – 19.00 Challenges of sustainably managed tropical timber and future of tropical forests: Benoit Jobbé‐Duval, Directeur Général, Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux
- 00 – 19.15 ASEAN furniture production and exports during this pandemic ‐ Multiple challenges and diverse response: Ernie Koh Jyh Eng, Executive Director, Koda, Secretary General, ASEAN Furniture Industries Council
- 15 – 19.30 International trade, challenges facing the Indonesian timber sector: Sigit Pramono, Senior Policy Analyst of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry
- 30 – 19.45 The shipping container crisis explained: Jan Hoffmann, Chief, Trade Logistics Branch, Division on Technology and Logistics, UNCTAD
- 45 – 20.15 Questions and discussion
- 15 Presentation of the Trade Statement prepared by the Trade Advisory Group
Source: TTO TTM Report: 25:20 16-31 Oct 2021