Ghana is in the final stages of becoming the first African country to issue FLEGT license to cover its timber and wood products traded on the European market.
The feat was achieved during the 11th Joint Monitoring and Review Mechanism meeting held between Ghana and the European Union (EU) in Brussels.
This places Ghana as the second country in the world after Indonesia to begin trading in legally certified wood and wood products with the EU under the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) mechanism.
In November 2009, Ghana became the first timber-producing country to sign a Voluntary Partnership Agreement, VPA with the European Union (EU).
The Agreement entered into force on 1st December 2009. Under the FLEGT license, timber and timber related products covered by a valid FLEGT license, automatically meet the requirements of the EU Timber Regulation and prohibits the placing onto the EU market illegally harvested timber and timber related products derived from such timber.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, led a high-level Ghanaian delegation at the 11th Joint Monitoring and Review Mechanism meeting in Brussels.
The meeting sought to advance on the final procedural steps towards the issuance of FLEGT licenses. It marks a major milestone in the global fight against illegal timber trade, and testaments to achieving the VPA objective of improved forest governance.
The FLEGT licenses attest to the legality of Ghana’s timber and will facilitate trade in timber and timber related products for both exporters and importers.
According to Director General for International Partnerships, European Commission, Koen Doens, the dedication of Ghana’s government and its forestry sector, alongside the support and cooperation of its European partners, has brought resulted in the FLEGT licensing.
This achievement underscores the power of international cooperation in addressing critical global challenges such as deforestation and illegal logging.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Abu Jinapor stated that Ghana has seen significant improvements in forest governance with the implementation and operation of the timber legality assurance system.
He indicated that the impending issuance of FLEGT licenses to the EU market and licenses to other international destinations will be undergirded with the same legality standards.
Mr Jinapor added that Ghana’s commitment to the VPA, as well as halting and reversing forest loss and land degradation by 2030 remain absolute.
SOURCE: GNA
