Mr. Chairman:

I have the honour to introduce under agenda item 170 the draft resolution entitled "Observer Status to the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan in the General Assembly" contained in A/C.6/72/L.8. In addition to the current list of co-sponsors, Brazil, the Philippines and Eritrea have also decided to co-sponsor this draft resolution.

The content of the draft resolution is based on the standard text of previous resolutions on observer status requests. As can be seen from Annex I (Explanatory Memorandum) and Annex III (Agreement on the Establishment of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan) of document A/72/141, the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) fully meets the criteria for observer status in the General Assembly.

Mr. Chairman,

INBAR was founded on 6 November 1997 with the signing of the Agreement on the Establishment of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan by nine founding member states.

Headquartered in Beijing, China, it is the only intergovernmental organization that specializes in the conservation and development of bamboo and rattan, two most important non-timber forest products. Its objective is to contribute to the realization of global environmental, social and economic sustainable development through international cooperation in the field of bamboo and rattan conservation and development in order to protect the environment, eradicate poverty and promote the industry’s development.

INBAR’s membership has grown, from the original 9 founding member states and 6 observer states to the current 43 member states and more than 10 observer states, with regional offices or focal points in India, Ecuador, Ghana and Ethiopia.

Its work is in keeping with the purposes and objectives of the United Nations and covers matters of interest to the General Assembly, with close linkage to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In particular, it directly supports the achievement of some of the SDGs, including goals 1, 7, 11, 12, 13 and 15.

Over the last two decades, INBAR has set up a global network and engaged in cooperative activities for the innovative conservation and sustainable use of bamboo and rattan resources and their products, and to facilitate their trade, thus fully leveraging the role of bamboo and rattan in poverty alleviation, environmental protection, and the advancement of the development of the bamboo and rattan producing countries. Many projects have been implemented with the aim of poverty reduction and ecological conservation. INBAR has launched field projects in most of its member states. Those projects not only helped raise local population’s awareness of the socio-economic value of bamboo and rattan resources, but also opened up new prospects of spreading the technical application of bamboo and rattan resources. In the area of technical support, capacity building and policy, INBAR has put forth innovative development models that center on bamboo and rattan, and has supported poverty alleviation activities that promote the development of bamboo and rattan industry in an inclusive and environment-friendly manner.

Mr. Chairman,

China is convinced that granting observer status to the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan will further strengthen its relationship with the United Nations and will also contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. China also welcomes and encourages more countries to co-sponsor this resolution.

Thank you!