On 4 February, 2026, the 29th meeting of the APEC Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade (EGILAT) convened today in Guangzhou, China. The meeting focused on EGILAT’s priorities for 2026, facilitating exchanges on the progress of relevant APEC-funded projects, policy measures, and practical experiences among member economies in combating illegal logging and promoting trade in legally harvested forest products. Representatives from 14 APEC economies and five international organizations attended the meeting.
The International Mangrove Center (IMC) was invited to participate in the meeting and delivered a thematic presentation entitled “Fostering Synergies for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Coastal Mangrove Forests in the Asia-Pacific Region,” sharing its perspectives and recommendations.
In his address, the representative from the IMC Interim Secretariat highlighted that the Asia-Pacific region hosts nearly half of the world's mangrove resources, which form a critical foundation for regional ecological security, climate adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. However, he stressed that illegal logging, illegal land conversion, and institutional gaps within related regulatory and governance frameworks continue to place continuous pressure on mangrove ecosystems, underscoring an urgent need for enhanced collective actions at the regional level.
The IMC representative introduce the IMC's establishment and recent developments. He noted that EGILAT and IMC share common concerns and aligned objectives. In light of EGILAT’s current work priorities, he underscored the strong potential for collaboration between the two in areas such as technical support, capacity building, policy translation, and international cooperation. Specific proposals include exploring the use of remote sensing and data technologies to support the monitoring of illegal logging, delivering workshops on mangrove legality and sustainable use, and leveraging the APEC platform to more systematically integrate mangrove-related issues into the policy and action frameworks of member economies.
The IMC representative further stated that the IMC looks forward to strengthening communication and engagement with APEC, EGILAT, and other regional mechanisms in the future, with a view to ensuring that mangrove conservation receives greater attention within the Asia-Pacific development and sustainability agenda. Such efforts, he said, would contribute to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and to promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.
About EGILAT
The APEC Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade (EGILAT) was established in 2011 in response to statements, decisions, and priorities of Leaders and Ministers of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Its goal is to enhance the efforts of member economies to take concrete steps to combat illegal logging and associated trade, promote trade in legally harvested forest products, and support capacity building activities in member economies.