Recommendations from Libreville workshop cover themes related to economic and technical effects of timber exportation prohibition, investment and funding for wood processing, taxation, trade barriers on local and regional markets, and markets and commercial barriers.

 

 

 

Libreville (Gabon), 14-16 June 2011 - Holding of an international meeting under the theme: “Towards a Wood Processing Development Strategy in the Congo Basin: Stakes, challenges and perspectives for the Republic of Gabon”.

 

 

 

 

 

Participants were called upon to reflect on the industrial and economic context resulting from the decision to ban timber exportation, to identify priorities for the formulation of national strategies for wood processing in Gabon and to draw a roadmap for the implementation of a Gabonese advanced wood processing strategy. About sixty national and international experts, representatives of forest administration, the private sector and the civil society carried out this exercise.

 

 

 

 

The opening ceremony was chaired by the Gabonese Prime Minister, Paul Biyoghe Mba; co-organized by the Gabonese Government, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), the Inter-African Association of Forest Industries (IFIA), FAO and the National forest programme Mechanism (NFP mechanism), the Libreville meeting consisted in expert and professional presentations and exposes on the first day, whereas the second day was dedicated to group work and a round-table conference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following restitutions to capitalize the outcome of this meeting, a series of recommendations from Libreville workshop cover themes related to economic and technical effects of timber exportation prohibition, investment and funding for wood processing, taxation, trade barriers on local and regional markets, and markets and commercial barriers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Document available for download:

Overall report of Gabon youth forum concerning the international meeting on the development of wood processing industry in Gabon

 

In the press:

What Strategy for the industrialization of wood sector in Gabon (Gabon Eco 16/06/2011)

 

Images credits: Rapport Général du Forum des Jeunes du Gabon