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Ghana is on the verge of marking history as the first country in Africa to obtain permission to export timber to the European market by the end of the year. # 39; year.
This is after the country has met a series of requirements set out in the Voluntary Partnership Agreement signed with the European Union (EU) more than ten years ago.
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Processes are being finalized to deliver the FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) license in Ghana to ensure that the export of timber and wood products to the EU meets acceptable standards.
Mr John Allotey, Deputy Director General of the Forestry Commission (CF), who revealed this information yesterday, said that the country would be the second in the world, after Indonesia, to get this license from the United States. ; EU.
"We are working hard to review our governance structure for the forest sector, streamline our laws, and strengthen the participation of local communities and civil society organizations (CSOs).
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"We are at the very last stage where there will be a joint evaluation of the protocols we have followed so far to ensure that we are following the goals that have been set out in the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the EU, "he said.
Mr Allotey said this when the EU Ambbadador to Ghana, Ms Diana Acconcia, led a delegation from the continental body and the ministry to pay a courtesy visit to the regional minister of 39, Ashanti, Mr. Simon Osei Mensah, as part of a joint visit of some forests. reserves of the region with the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh.
The purpose of this visit is to take stock of Ghana's progress towards meeting the challenge of exporting timber products to the EU in a sustainable manner.
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The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources for Forests, Benito Owusu-Bio, and some senior officials from the Ministry, the EU and the FC, are part of the tour.
protocols
Mr Allotey explained that when the country gets the green light to start exporting wood products to the EU, this would mean that all protocols should be followed to ensure that the timber is exported sustainably and in the future. framework of the law. , while preserving the integrity of forest resources.
He badured that Ghana had done its best to achieve this feat as the first country in Africa and second in the world to meet the requirements of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the EU.
Sustainable management
For her part, Acconcia said the forest reserve tour was a major step in determining the country's destiny.
She noted that the EU is more concerned with the sustainable management of forest resources, which is why it would help Ghana to exploit its natural resources for the benefit of citizens.
"We are here to take stock of Ghana's progress in protecting forest resources when it begins to export timber to the EU.We are here to help the country protect forests and forests. other natural resources to create jobs and that trees that are cut and sent to the EU are of good quality and come from sustainable forestry sources, "she said.
Green Ashanti Project
Mr. Osei-Mensah called on the CF to support the Ashanti region with seedlings to strengthen the Clean and Green Ashanti project, an initiative to plant trees to preserve the environment.
He also called on the commission to deploy forest rangers in the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDA) to support the project.
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