From March 22th to 23th, 2010 - was held in Douala (Cameroon) a major event of tropical woods from Africa – the RACEWOOD 2010, 3rd edition after Gabon in 2004 and Ghana in 2006. These meetings aim to promote partnerships between European companies and African industrialists within the tropical timber industry.

Some three hundred participants from more than 35 countries made up of forest producers, processors of wood, importers, traders, NGO, services, donors, scientists, listeners gathered together to continue the effort towards forest certification and to engage the processing towards greater added-value products and to develop the local markets. The following three thematic were at the centre of the event:  

• Consolidation of forest certification and market availability of FSC certified products,

• Challenges of climate change with debates on REDD following the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009

• Prospects for local and interregional market development in the context of strengthened requirements (FLEGT, VPA, …)

The Cameroon's Ministry of Forests and Fauna (MINFOF), Its Excellence Ngolle-Ngolle Elvis, the Minister of Forest Economy and the Environment of Congo, Its Excellence Henri Djombo and the Executive Director of the ITTO, Mr. Ze Meka attended this event for sincere exchanges under an extension of field realities in Central Africa. They pointed out by their effective presence the importance of these meetings which combined professional conferences and stands.

Being pleased to see joined together in Cameroun so much international actors, experts, donors and interests parties of the tropical wood sector, Its Excellence Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, underlined in its opening speech that: “It’s by the increase of the added-value in industry, the reinforcement of the exchanges between local forest industries and certified forest concessions that sustainable forest management will gain points”. On his side, Its Excellence Henri Djombo, in his short speech wished that the next RACEWOOD which will be held in Pointe-Noire in Congo, in September 2011, places under the sign of the timber processing. He wishes for this occasion to organize a challenge on the realization of wood’s houses (Photo left @IFIA).

At the end of the thematic workshop and business Forum, the ITTO and IFIA made a joint Declaration, emphasized on the importance for the regional economies, in particular the local or interregional markets to develop the wood processing towards greater added-value products. They proposed to bring their support in the development of a strategic document on these topics related to all the stakeholders - administration, ministries representatives (of industry, economy, and finance), private sector, and national forest companies. For this purpose, the next five years will be devoted to make significant progress on wood processing towards greater added-value products that can provide complementary services for  sustainable forest management and forest pressure reduction. The accent will be will be also laid on the development of the local markets and interregional.

For more information, please download the Press Communiqué consult also the official webside of RACEWOOD (in french) or contact Catherine Peguillan: catherinepeguillan@ifiasite.com

RACEWOOD 2010 is a Pro€Invest project within the framework of the EU‐ACP programme supporting promotion of investments and technology transfers in favour of ACP businesses operating in environmental projects, among which RACEWOOD, for sustainable forestry activities in the ACP. The event was thought out by IFIA and is supported by the European Commission and Pro€Invest.