From 1 to 10 February 2026, the first official event of the APEC China Year – the First APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting and Related Meetings were held in Guangzhou, China. As one of its important sessions, the 29th APEC Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade (EGILAT) Plenary was took place from 4 to 6 February. About 50 representatives from 14 APEC economies and five international organizations attended the meeting. The meeting focused on the priorities of EGILAT in 2026, sharing and discussing  the policy measures and management practices to combat illegal logging and promote trade in legal forest products by each economy and relevant international organizations.

Group Photo of the 29th APEC EGILAT Plenary

APFNet was invited to participate as an international organization representative and shared its connection with APEC and practices in supporting APEC economies in combating illegal logging.

Since its establishment as an initiative at the 15th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, APFNet has actively advanced the achievement of the APEC Sydney Forest Goals, and has jointly conducted progress assessments of these Goals with FAO, and provided active financial support and participated in organizing the first three APEC Ministerial Meetings on Forestry. Guided by the mandate entrusted by APEC, APFNet has vigorously supported Asia-Pacific economies in promoting forest restoration and sustainable management.

To address the drivers of illegal logging, APFNet has for many years focused on policy dialogue, demonstration projects, capacity building and information sharing. It has helped member economies formulate sustainable forest management plans, enhance their capacities of sustainable forest management and forest resource monitoring and conservation, as well as develop alternative livelihoods and energy sources as main solutions to combat illegal logging. At the meeting, APFNet also shared relevant research project in Pacific Island economies and the demonstration project in Nepal, as well as relevant policy dialogue and capacity building mechanisms. All these practices proved that strengthening sustainable forest management is the fundamental solution to combating illegal logging.

Looking ahead, APFNet will continue to help APEC economies enhance their capacity for sustainable forest management and strengthen the control of illegal logging mainly from the source management.

EGILAT, as a biannual dialogue and exchange mechanism under APEC, is dedicated to promoting legal trade in forest product. The 2026 work plan adopted at this plenary confirmed that the 6th APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry will be held in China back-to-back with the 30th EGILAT Plenary.