Korea, France, AFoCO expand cooperation on wildfire response in Asia

The Korea Forest Service (KFS) has entered into an agreement with the French government and the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) to enhance training for wildfire specialists across Asia. This cooperation was formalized at the second steering committee meeting for the Forest Fire Management in Asia (FFMA) project, held in France from October 1-3.

The meeting reviewed the project's initial accomplishments, such as training sessions in Thailand, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan, and discussed plans and budget allocations for 2027.

The participating countries and organizations agreed to further expand training initiatives and cultivate more wildfire specialists, with the overarching goal of attracting additional countries and partner institutions to the program. In the long term, the FFMA is envisioned as a significant international collaboration in wildfire response.

During their visit, Korean delegates also met with French officials who oversee wildfire prevention and international cooperation efforts. These discussions encompassed France's strategies for wildfire prevention and its framework for collaborative wildfire response efforts. The delegates explored potential avenues for strengthening the partnership between Korea and France in addressing wildfire challenges in Asia.