ByCharles K. MillerVPA Support Unit

Mamba Point, Monrovia, Liberia

West Africa Forest Governance ForumHeld at: Grand Royal Hotel

Monrovia, Liberia

A Reflection on Progress of Liberia’s VPA

12 December 2013 1

Question

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Why did Liberia decide to pursue a Voluntary Partnership

Agreement (VPA)?

1. Shifts in global timber markets

• International markets are increasingly demanding proof that timber is legal.

• In the United States of America for example the US Lacey Act, amended in 2008, states that importers can be prosecuted for dealing in illegal timber & timber products.

• The EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) which came into effect in March 2013 also requires that anyone putting timber products on EU market must carry out due diligence to ensure that their timber and timber products are from legal sources.

• If Liberia has a credible system that can provide this proof it will have an advantage in international markets.

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2. Improve governance & law enforcement

• The VPA will enable Liberia to facilitate the enforcement of its existing laws, and ensure that anyone operating in the forestry sector has to comply with these laws.

• Developing the VPA has also helped identify areas where the law should be made more clear, or where there is a gap, so these can be resolved.

• The VPA builds on commitments to transparency and good governance in the forestry sector (building on the 2006 National Forest Reform Law (NFRL) and Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI)).

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3. Support development of the forestry sector

• The VPA provides a framework for capacity building in the forestry sector (including support to FDA, and support to private sector)

• The process to develop the VPA has helped government, industry, civil society and communities to find ways to work together to support development of the forestry sector

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Liberia’s VPA Process

A Brief update on Liberia’s VPA Process

• March 2009: Official launch and commencement of formal negotiations for a FLEGT VPA between the European Union (EU) and the Government of Liberia (GoL);

• May 2011: Negotiations concluded and VPA initialed in Monrovia;

• July 2011: VPA signed in Brussels between the EU and the GoL;

• May 2012: VPA ratified by the EU;

• September 2013: VPA ratified by Liberia

• September 2013: VPA Support Unit established;

• November 2013: EU notified by the GoL of the ratification of the VPA by the Government of Liberia and;

• December 1st, 2013: VPA between the EU and the GoL entered into force.

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Institutions to oversee VPA implementation - GoL

• Joint Implementation Committee (JIC): This body is composed of representatives from both the GoL and EU and is charged with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of the VPA.

• On the Liberian side, the GoL has also established the Liberian

Implementation Committee (LIC): This committee brings together the government and non-government stakeholders who were involved in the development of the VPA through negotiations. It meets regularly to oversee progress.

• A National Multi-Stakeholders Monitoring Committee (NMSMC) that will provide national oversight of the implementation of the VPA by Government, private sector, civil society and communities has been established. It meets once each month.

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EU/DFID Support to VPA Implementation

• Three projects with clear and distinct roles in supporting VPA implementation in Liberia have been commissioned and are now fully operational:

• The VPA Support Unit (VPA SU): September 2013;

• The Liberia Verification Department or Project LVD: October 2013; and

• The FLEGT VPA Facilitator: October 2013

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The VPA Support Unit

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Roles/objectives of the VPA Support Unit

Following ratification of the VPA by the European Union (EU) and the Government of Liberia (GoL). A VPA Support Unit (VPA SU) has been established for implementation of the VPA.

1. Strengthening the capacities of different Liberian institutions with roles in the forest sector to enable them to meet their responsibilities as set out in the VPA and its annexes; and

2. To ensure efficient and effective coordination of all VPA actors until Liberian institutions gain the necessary capacity to do this independently.

3. The VPA SU is not a part of government structure, but rather, it is independent of all stakeholder groups.

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VPA SU Activities

• The VPA SU is currently undertaking an inception phase (September-December 2013) that includes a capacity needs assessment of stakeholders including Government, CSOs and the Private Sector.

• The purpose of the needs assessment is to determine a baseline for capacity requirements of all stakeholders for VPA implementation.

• The capacity needs assessment will be followed by the development and costing of a capacity building implementation plan (CBIP). The CBIP will address the capacity needs of each of the 3 stakeholder groups.

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Progress To Date

• The VPA SU has been proactive in facilitating smooth coordination of stakeholders both individually and collectively to ensure that issues of concern to stakeholders are discussed and amicably resolved/addressed at the NMSMC forum. For example LTA earlier left the multi-stakeholders platform but was brought back through the efforts of the SU.

• The VPA SU has worked with a number of international consultants to conduct studies, develop plans, systems and procedures to enhance VPA implementation activities.

• The SU has been able to convene more than six multi-stakeholders meetings including workshops.

• The SU has identified all stakeholder groups and has been able to meet separately with each stakeholder group.

• The SU was able to visit/tour two FDA Regions (Regions 2 & 4) to conduct CBNAs of stakeholders.

• The SU has identified two office spaces: One for the relocation of the SU from Mamba Point, and the other, to potentially house the “Info Shop/Forestry Information Centre”.

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Implementation Plans for 2014• The VPA SU and the FDA will work together to finalize

arrangements with DFID for the completion of the new FDA HQ beginning early 2014.

• Provide support to re-establish, fund and manage the “Info Shop/Forestry Information Centre” earlier established by the Forestry Development Authority to improve access to information;

• Provide support to the FDA to conclude/finalize status of five draft regulations, PUP regulations, and Social Agreement

• The VPA SU will work closely with the Liberia Verification Department (LVD) and other VPA support projects.

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Many thanks for your attention!

Charles K. Millerc/o VPA Support Unit, A-Z Building,

Mamba PointMonrovia, Liberia

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