18.10.2024
In Gabon, the transitional government's Council of Ministers approved a decree on August 31 reauthorizing the regulated exploitation of Kevazingo wood.
Logging of this forest species had been banned since 2018 by the government of ex-president Ali Bongo, not least because of the illegal trade in it.
The new regulations authorize the felling and processing of Kevazingo wood only from sustainably managed forest concessions. In addition, the government requires the implementation of a geo-referencing system to reinforce traceability, and a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) permit for the export of finished products.
According to the authorities, this initiative should encourage local processing and stimulate economic development in forest regions, while creating new job opportunities.
