From May 18 to 20, 2026, the Regional Coordination and Technical Support Meeting for the Integrated Forestry Project in Southeast Asia and the Pacific (supported by the Global Environment Facility, GEF), alongside the Inaugural Southeast Asia and the Pacific (SEAP) Primary Forest Annual Conference, was successfully held in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. Dr. Wang Chunfeng, the Executive Director of the APFNet attended the event.

Currently, primary forests across Southeast Asia and the Pacific are under great pressures stemming from land-use changes, infrastructure expansion, unsustainable commodity production and climate change, making enhanced protection of these forests an urgent priority. To address the prevailing challenges in conservation and sustainable management, funding and coordination among national initiatives, the GEF launched the Southeast Asia and the Pacific (SEAP) Primary Forest Programme during its eighth replenishment period. The project is jointly led and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Spanning six years, it runs from 2025 to 2031. To date, Lao PDR, Thailand and Papua New Guinea have joined the initiative and carried out demonstration activities for primary forest conservation and sustainable forest management, effectively advancing the delivery of global goals for biodiversity conservation and climate governance.

Hosted by the Forestry Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Laos, the conference gathered around 100 representatives from government authorities, forestry research institutions, international organizations, private entities, indigenous peoples' civil society groups, local communities, as well as women and youth organizations. It ranks as one of the key events under the GEF Primary Forest Project for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Participants shared insights and held in-depth discussions on the current status and trends of primary forests worldwide and across the region, outcomes, experience and lessons learnt of the project since its launch in 2025, and key work priorities for 2026, and officially launched the SEAP Forest Investment and Technical Partner (FIT) Coalition.

APFNet has been invited and joined the project's Technical Advisory Group. During this conference, APFNet gained an in-depth understanding of the status of regional primary forest conservation and relevant national actions, took part in discussions on related topics, and gave suggestions for the implementation and advancement of the project, and also held extensive exchanges with FAO, IUCN and other institutions, actively exploring concrete measures to strengthen partnerships and deepen future collaboration.