Timber sector professional associations

reinforcement with a view to implementing FLEGT action plan in

Congo basin and West Africa Bérénice Castadot

27 April 2012

ATIBT/IFIA

• ATIBT = Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux – established in 1951 – technical issues

• IFIA = Interafrican Forest Industries Association – founded in 1996 – Political issues – linked together with 4 professional associations (Gabon, Cameroon, DRC and Ivory Coast)

• One team in Paris merger in 2012

• Projects dedicated to sector support : 3 axes of intervention- Legality and sustainability (FLEGT, certifications, REDD+, trainings, etc.)- Timber processing (trainings, expertise, etc.)- Market access

Timber sector professional associations reinforcement with a view to implementing FLEGT action plan in Congo basin and West

Africa

• Organization: IFIA/ATIBT• Objective: Improving private sector contribution to FLEGT mechanism thanks to Timber

sector professional associations capacities reinforcement

• Target group: private sector• Main area of work: Information and sensitization

• Localization: Central and West Africa (Cameroon, Gabon, CAR, DRC, Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Liberia)

• Main local partners: GFBC (Cameroon), FIB (DRC), SPIB (Ivory Coast), UFIGA (Gabon)

• Dates of implementation: 1/03/2009 – 30/09/2011Budget: 599.398,20 €

• Funding partners: 94.984,66 € (IFIA-local partners), 11.860,53 € (MAE Gabon), 15.982,00 € (MAAPRAT)

Statement and implementing strategy

• Private sector hardly implicated in the process because of:

- Having the impression to be pushes aside by the government

- Already holding a certificate (legality of forest management)

- Struggling with financial crisis Sector and representatives sensitization on

- National requirement

- How to deal with markets requirements

- Dialogue among all stakeholders

- Unfair competition related to illegal logging

- Links with REDD+ and private certification

Project main actions

Countries

Ghana

Libéria

Ivory Coast

CameroonMeetings with private sector in the capitals and on the ground (07/2009), discussion workshop * (09/2010) + RW III + professional associations representatives invitation in Paris May 2010, RW III and RW IV, Forum ATIBT

Actions

Meetings with GTMO and members (02/2010) + Participation in the governance workshop (06/2011) + GTMO invitation to RACEWOOD III and IVMeetings with the national professional association members (03/2009)Information workshop for all stakeholders (11/2009) + Invitation May 2010, Forum ATIBT (private sector + government), RACEWOOD III and IV

* Workshops on timber processing and timber markets development. What needs for legal timber products regarding VPA + developing new discussion habits among stakeholders. Around 50 to 150 persons (administrations, private sector, NGO). Organizers: FAO, ITTO, IFIA/ATIBT

Project main actions

CountriesGhanaCongo

Gabon

CAR

DRC

2 information meetings with UNICONGO members (06/2010), discussion workshops (03/2011) + RW IV + Invitation of professional association representatives + government RW IV + COMIFAC

Actions

Information meetings for all stakeholders (05/2009), discussion workshops (06/2011) + Invitation of professional association May 2010, RW III and IV, Forum ATIBTSeveral meetings with the private sector (03/2010) + Invitation of government representatives RW IV

Information meetings for FIB members (08/2009), discussion workshops (05/2011) + Invitation of professional association representatives May 2010, RW III and IV, Forum ATIBT

* Workshops on timber processing and timber markets development. What needs for legal timber products regarding VPA + developing new discussion habits among stakeholders. Around 50 to 150 persons (administrations, private sector, NGO). Organizers: FAO, ITTO, IFIA/ATIBT

Project main actions

Global actions

- Poster APV -RBUE with French Ministry of agriculture support- FLEGT Timber Passeport pwith French Ministry of agriculture support- ATIBT letter- FLEGT project page on www.atibt.org - website - under IFIA part- Meetings at the regional level Cameroon (2000 March) and Congo (September 2011)

Implemented actions: conclusions

Good understanding of FLEGT action plan (VPA – EUTR) by African private sector

Misunderstanding remains :« timber will not be sold in Europe in 2013 if no FLEGT licenses »

Traceability systems issues and lack of LAS implementation

Small adaptation of private certification schemes

Little understanding of FLEGT action plan in Europe

Project outcomes:

- Information and sensitization of a key stakeholder = the private sector which will implement VPA

- Improvement of African private sector awareness on FLEGT action plan importance

- Improvement of public-private dialogue

- Information of operators putting timber on European markets on VPA and EUTR links

Implemented actions: conclusions

Future actions to be reinforced or implemented

• Maintain information actions efforts for the whole timber sector on FLEGT action plan especially on links existing between VPA and EUTR

• Keep on supporting VPA negotiations in countries like Gabon, DRC or Ivory Coast

• Formalize informal timber sector

• Launch a « meeting FLEGT requirements » process for private certification standards for an eventual recognition by VPA

• Organise field tests gathering all the stakeholders concerned by VPA mechanism in order to identify capacity building actions necessary for an effective VPA and EUTR implementation

• Implement trainings allowing capacity building of stakeholders

• Identify FLEGT-REED+ synergies and lessons to be learned from VPA negotiation for REDD+ implementation

• Support EUTR implementation (information, private sector tests, trainings, etc.)

Future actions to be reinforced or implemented

Thank you for your attention

berenice.castadot@atibt.org