19.12.2025
Dear members, Dear partners, Dear friends of ATIBT,
As we draw to the close of this year, I would like to address you with simplicity and sincerity, following the Board of Directors' decision to renew my appointment as President of ATIBT. I would like to express my warmest thanks for this.
The year that is coming to an end has been marked by many challenges. In an unstable international context, our sector has had to deal with persistent economic tensions, major regulatory changes that are sometimes complex to understand, and profound questions about the future of markets, forestry models, and tropical industries. These challenges have tested our organizations, our companies, and our collective ability to engage in dialogue and plan for the future.
However, this demanding period has also been a time for reflection. ATIBT has undertaken a thorough review of its strategic issues: its mission, its positioning, its priorities for action, and how it can continue to effectively support players in the tropical timber industry, while complying with requirements for sustainability, legality, and international credibility. These reflections are essential to strengthening our relevance and legitimacy in a rapidly changing environment.
In this context, I am convinced that our strength lies above all in our ability to remain united. ATIBT is a diverse organization, enriched by the plurality of its members, their experiences, and their points of view. This diversity is not a weakness; it is a resource, provided that it is expressed in a spirit of dialogue, mutual respect, and collective construction.
As we enter the new year, I hope that we will continue along this path together, with clarity, commitment, and solidarity. The challenges ahead are real, but they can only be met through collective action based on trust, cohesion, and a shared goal: to defend and promote a responsible, sustainable, and promising tropical timber industry.
I extend my best wishes to each and every one of you for the coming year.
The President of ATIBT
Françoise Van de Ven
