The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) has opened its European Secretariat in Bonn. The City of Bonn, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and CIFOR marked the opening with a reception at the Old Town Hall. The office adds a forestry and land-use research body to the group of UN and international organisations working on sustainability in the city.

What the office will do

The secretariat will serve as the operational hub of the Landscape Alliance, the name under which CIFOR operates jointly with World Agroforestry (ICRAF). It is meant to act as a bridge between German and European academia, politics and development cooperation and CIFOR’s research and implementation networks in Africa, Asia and Latin America. According to the joint press release, it will help German partners to:

  • establish international research collaborations;
  • translate scientific findings into practical solutions;
  • strengthen German contributions to the conventions on climate (UNFCCC), biodiversity (CBD) and land degradation and drought (UNCCD), and to the international agenda for food systems and sustainable development.

Who CIFOR is

CIFOR is an international research institution active in over 60 countries. Its work focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of forests and on land-use systems that support water resources, climate and biodiversity. CIFOR and ICRAF are legally independent international organisations and CGIAR research centres. CIFOR’s presence in Germany began with the Global Landscape Forum (GLF), according to Éliane Ubalijoro, CEO of the Landscape Alliance.

Why Bonn

Both the UNFCCC and the UNCCD have their secretariats in Bonn, and the biodiversity platform IPBES operates on the UN Campus in the city. CIFOR Director General Robert Nasi said the organisation chose Bonn to leverage synergies and networks within a compact area. Mayor Guido Déus noted that Bonn has been Germany’s United Nations city with a focus on sustainability for 30 years. Niels Annen, State Secretary at the BMZ, said the city’s significance as a hub for international cooperation continues to grow with the new secretariat. CIFOR’s Director for Europe is Dr. Anja Gassner.