Experts from countries with low forest cover met for the first time in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, from 4 to 8 October 1999, and discussed their common concerns. The meeting was supported by the governments of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway, and organized with the collaboration of the governments of Egypt and Sudan and in cooperation with international organizations, including FAO, UNEP, UNDP and IFAD. During the 5-day International Meeting of Experts on the Special Needs and Requirements of Developing Countries with Low Forest Cover and Unique Types of Forests, a government led initiative in support of the programme of work of International Forum on Forests (IFF), participants from 39 countries and 6 international and bilateral organizations addressed a wide range of issues. The experts noted that several hundred million people, in over 70 developing countries with low forest cover, live in and around forests and depend on them for their subsistence. The participants recognized that increased population pressure and widespread poverty are resulting in an alarming rate of deforestation and forest degradation. The consequent loss of productivity and biological diversity is affecting human well-being. The meeting underscored the urgent need to undertake corrective actions to reverse this negative trend.

The experts reviewed the existing literature and instruments, and relevant international /intergovernmental deliberations on forests, including the IPF/IFF process, in the context of meeting the special human needs and requirements of developing low forest cover countries (LFCCs). In addressing the objectives of the expert meeting, the participants adopted a report containing a set of conclusions and a number of short - and long-term concrete and practical recommendations. These recommendations will be presented to the fourth session of the IFF (30 January - 11 February 2000, New York)

Within the overall framework of global collective endeavours for management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests, the participants emphasized that the long-term objectives including, inter alia, placing the issue of low forest cover countries on the political and policy agenda of future international deliberations on forests and other development issues, including combatting desertification, and formulating long-term approaches and strategies. Priority should be given to enhanced cooperation among LFCCs, partnerships with multilateral organizations and instruments as well as with the donor community.

The meeting endorsed the proposal to launch a process, hereafter called the “Tehran Process”, in order to achieve these collective objectives and to pursue the implementation and further development of the outcome of the Tehran meeting was further emphasized by the participants. The participants reaffirmed their commitment to the objectives of the “Tehran Process” and reiterated the necessity of active, cooperative and consistent follow-up of the final outcome of the Tehran meeting aimed at fulfilling critical human needs in low forest cover countries. They also expressed their appreciation to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the initiative and for holding the successful meeting and expressed their full support to the prospective Iranian endeavours towards continuing the “Process”. They further agreed to hold the first follow-up meeting of the “Tehran Process” at the sidelines of the fourth session of the IFF in early February 2000 in New York.