Stakeholders undertake to promote legal timber in Province Orientale, DR Congo

In the workshop the objectives of the project were presented to the stakeholders. The project aims at strengthening the capacities of the civil society, local communities, government/local authorities and artisanal loggers to generate information that takes into account the challenges the sector is facing and will be used in the FLEGT-VPA negotiation process. Additionally the project will inform local stakeholders on the advances of the negotiations, and will contribute to the ongoing discussions of the Technical Commission, especially with regards to the development of a system of verification of legality, among others.
During the workshop the participants presented the actions they can undertake to own the project, including: awareness of actors in the FLEGT-VPA process, extension of legal texts, compliance with legislation, securing actors. Also, the potential obstacles to gain ownership of the project were also pinned: insufficient funding, respect for custom, insecurity linked to armed groups, the multiplicity of taxes, among others.

In his opening remarks, the provincial minister of natural resources Paulin Odiane, thanked Tropenbos International for initiating this project, which supports the provincial government to promote legality in the forest sector in the Eastern Province.

The workshop has been funded by the European Union and FAO and was attended by key actors in the forestry sector, including: forestry administration, local authorities, local communities, artisanal loggers and civil society.