Implementation of the communication strategy for the forestry and wood industry in the Republic of Congo

As part of the implementation of the communication component of the Appui Secteur Privé (ASP) Congo project, the ATIBT, with the assistance of the communication firm Afrique Environnement Plus, has begun talks with most of the players in the forestry and timber sector.

Following the initial discussions in Brazzaville, a joint ATIBT-Afrique Environnement Plus team visited several locations in the south of the Republic of Congo from 15 to 20 January 2024. The delegation made stops in Sibiti, Dolisie and Pointe Noire. At each stage of the field trip, the team had the opportunity to talk to various categories of stakeholders in the forestry and timber industry. These included government officials in the Departmental Directorates of the Ministry of Forest Economy (DDEF), heads of logging companies, craft associations grouped together in clusters, members of civil society and the media.

The discussions held with all these stakeholder groups enabled us to see how communication is being deployed at the level of each entity, both internally and externally, and to identify limitations as well as opportunities for amplifying communication. In addition, vectors and channels that could help to bring about broader and more effective communication were discussed during these interviews. The opportunity provided by these field visits enabled forestry and wood industry players to present the difficulties that prevent them from committing to and successfully implementing communication in their respective entities. These are mainly financial constraints and the limits of technical expertise in this field. Despite these difficulties, most of the players we met expressed the wish to be supported in strengthening their capacities and to have the necessary financial resources to carry out their communication activities.

Ultimately, the data collected from these categories of stakeholders will be useful for an in-depth analysis of the communication context in the forestry and timber sector. This data will then help to define a good communication mechanism to ensure that the sector has a high profile, and to promote the social and economic achievements of forestry companies working in the sustainable management of tropical forests.