Yaoundé, Cameroon, 24th November 2017—TRAFFIC has launched a series of new studies in Cameroon with a view to the improvement of governance of timber harvest and trade. The studies have been launched ahead of the 53rd ITTO Council meeting in Lima due to be attended by representatives from TRAFFIC.

Through five key studies conducted between 2012 and 2014 in Cameroon and the development of a forest legislation and control training manual together with its annexes, timber trade challenges were evaluated through the lens of the 2010 signed Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union (EU).

Evaluation of the monitoring of forest law enforcement in Cameroon study report

The forest sector in the Republic of Cameroon has undergone considerable reforms since independence in 1960. These reforms have focused on increasing the forest sector’s contribution to GDP and improving the livelihoods of local people through sustainable management. The forestry sector contributes F CFA456.9 billion (USD780.4 million) or 30% to the national economy and accounts for 4% of the GDP, with an annual production of about 2.3 million m3.

Although the current legislation and regulatory instruments have made provisions for the participation of local communities and decentralized structures in the management of forest resources, there are still challenges and incidences of illegality throughout supply chains.

For the integrity of forest agents in their daily work, the study proposed a code of conduct and professional ethics for personnel of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife on control mission.

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