Forest governance monitoring, evaluation mechanism underway

Following the consequences of illegal forest exploitation, some of which includes the degradation of the environment, loss of public finance and poor living conditions of indigenous forest communities amongst others, the European Union (EU) adopted a strategy in 2000 dubbed “Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade” (FLEGT) in a bid to curb the illegality in countries in Africa and South America exporting timber to Europe.

Cameroon with a forest surface area of 19.6 million hectares (3rd largest in Africa) ratified the agreement through law no. 2011/238 of 9 August 2011 while the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife signed an Ordinance in 2013 to implement the agreement.

It is against this backdrop that the Centre for Assistance to Justice and Animation for Development (CAJAD) and Forest et development Rural (Foder) with the support of the European Union, are undertaking an 18-month project titled ‘Participatory Assessment of FLEGT-VPA Impacts in Cameroon.’

Speaking in a press dinner in Limbe on Friday 17 October, the Director of CAJAD, Tchepnang Barthelemy said the project worth 150,000 Euros will ensure the development of an efficient and coherent mechanism and framework for monitoring and evaluating the effects of the implementation of VPA in different dimensions of the accord (notably social, environmental, economic, governance and commercial aspects).

According to the Project Coordinator, the objective is to enhance the understanding and analyses of the effects of VPA, and disseminate information to stakeholders, notably civil society organisations (including the media), as well as local and indigenous communities.

During the press dinner, Mr. Tchpnang disclosed that the project launched in Yaounde in April has been holding consultative meetings with different stakeholders especially the local populations of the South West, Littoral and East regions.

By the end of the project, proposals on measures for mitigation or amelioration of the implementation of Voluntary Partnership Agreement would be made to signatory parties while access to forest governance by the civil society and the media would be enhanced.