Ghana to receive EU VPA license

News from Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

2019-01-23

Ghana will soon receive a license and certification from the European Union (EU) allowing it to export wood products to its member countries.

This is part of the Ghana-EU Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), which will make Ghana the first country in Africa and the second in the world to have the license and certification.

This follows the successful evaluation of the country's forest governance structure, laws, and the active participation of local communities and civil society organizations in forest governance as part of the Forest Law Enforcement (FLEGT) program. Governance and Trade).

Ms Diana Acconcia, EU ambbadador to Ghana, said the partnership agreement would soon be signed between the EU and Ghana to allow Ghana 's timber products to be imported from Ghana. easy access to European markets.

During a courtesy visit to Mr. Simon Osei Mensah, Ms. Acconcia, Ashanti Regional Minister in Kumasi, said the agreement would ensure that timber products exported from Ghana's coasts to the EU market are obtained from sustainable and legal sources.

The visit to the region was to give the ambbadador the opportunity to participate in a joint inspection on the progress of work in some forest reserves in the region and to seal the deliberations on the agreement. ten-year forest governance.

Ms. Acconcia urged Ghanaians to participate in the green economy that would pave the way for Ghanaian youth to gain access to employment in the forestry sector.

Mr. Osei Mensah commended the Ghana-EU team's efforts for the work accomplished and pledged the support of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) to the evaluation program, as the region has vast forest reserves.

He asked for more tree seedlings of different species to help Kumasi, the regional capital, to compete for his "clean and green" city project, which aimed to bring the city back to its historic city-garden status. West Africa.