Countries of the Congo Basin have decided to ban the exportation of log timber by January 1, 2022.
The decision was arrived at during a video conference of Ministers of Forestry, Industry and Environment of Central Africa on September 18, 2020.
The countries concerned are Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
According to Cameroon’s Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Jules Doret Ndongo, to accompany this measure, it was decided that special economic zones be created wherein first, second and third timber transformation industries would be installed.
The ministers also validated the decision to create a Regional Committee for the Durable Industrialisation of the Timber Sector in the Congo Basin (CRIB) as well as institute regulations on the development of forestry plantations.
One of the decisions also taken by the Congo Basin ministers was the validation of a decision on the regulations transforming the International Higher School of Agriculture and Wood Trades popularly known by its French acronym ESIAMB into a sub-regional university institute dedicated to the professional training in wood trades.
The ministers also recommended that all the decisions they had taken during the video-conference be tabled at the Council of Ministers of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECAS) so that they become legal instruments of the community.
When finally institutionalized the forestry sector’s finance legislation of ECAS would be harmonized.
The ministers finally recommended that the Central African Economic and Monetary Commission (CEMAC) countries namely Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Chad elaborate directives on the forestry finance specialty which the member countries have to incorporate to their national legislation.
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