Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to Launch thePresident's Initiative Against Illegal Logging

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell will formally launch the President’s Initiative Against Illegal Logging on Monday, July 28, 2003 at 4:45 p.m. in the Benjamin Franklin room at the Department of State. The new initiative was developed at the direction of President Bush with the objective of assisting developing countries in their efforts to combat illegal logging, including the sale and export of illegally harvested timber, and in fighting corruption in the forest sector.

The United States has been a leader in raising international awareness about the critical global problem of illegal logging. In February 2002, President George W. Bush directed the Secretary of State, “to develop a new initiative to help developing countries stop illegal logging, a practice that destroys biodiversity and releases millions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.”

In response, the Department of State has developed this initiative in close consultation with the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Interior, Justice, Treasury; the U.S. Agency for International Development and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; the Smithsonian Institution, and U.S.-based industry and conservation groups.

Working through the G-8, regional initiatives -- such as the East Asia Forest Law Enforcement and Governance Ministerial Conference in September 2001 and the upcoming African Ministerial on the same subject -- and in its bilateral work, the United States is focusing international attention on taking steps to address this sustainable development challenge.

For further information, please contact Susan Povenmire, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, 202-647-3486.