New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): The Sixth Council meeting of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) will begin here today.

This is for the first time that the council meeting is being organised outside its headquarter in China.

India being chair of the council session is hosting the Sixth Council Session. This meeting will provide guidance for future thrust of INBAR activities. INBAR has 34 member countries at present, which include 13 in Africa, 10 in Asia, 10 in America and one in Oceania.

The member countries are: Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Rwanda, The Philippines, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Surinam, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Uganda, Venezuela and Vietnam.

INBAR is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to improve the social, economic, and environmental benefits of bamboo and rattan.

It connects a global network of partners from the government, private, and not-for-profit sectors in over 50 countries to define and implement a global agenda for sustainable development through bamboo and rattan.

The Director General of INBAR will give an overview of the global bamboo and rattan sector as background information for new council participants to understand the work of INBAR.

There will be thematic discussion on the INBAR membership benefit package developed on the basis of findings of INBAR surveys.

There will be also discussions on capacity building and training, technology transfer, project development, fund raising and implementation and information dissemination.

The INBAR council has approved the accession of one new member state that is Suriname in last January.

The agreement is open for signature by any member state of the United Nations or its specialised agencies. (ANI)