Forest Governance : On-track Measures To Entrench Practice

“The Standardized National System for Independent External Monitoring” SNOIE has achieved much in Cameroon. It is about to be replicated in Congo Brazzaville where we have been invited by the government to share the experience,” Justin Kamga announced at a press conference in Yaounde on August 4, 2023. 

Congo Brazzaville Invitation
Beaming with smiles, Kamga, who is Coordinator of “Forêts et Développement Rural,” FODER association, disclosed that FODER and some civil society organizations have since 2015 joined efforts to fight illegal logging. Supporting what the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, MINFOF is already doing. “We have been filing complaints against illegal logging with MINFOF, and they have been responding. This is encouraging because it shows that we are working together,” Kamga noted. 

Highly Appreciated By MINFOF
Since the beginning of 2023, FODER has received several responses from MINFOF and as well as sanctions against logging companies following the seven SNOIE OIE missions carried out between December 2022 and July 2023. Whose reports were forwarded to MINFOF. 

Palpable Dividends
From 2017-2022, a total of 76 monitoring mission reports on alleged illegal logging were lodged with MINFOF. Some 16 of the complaints concerned the Centre Region, 20 the South Region, 7 the Littoral Region and 33 the East Region. Several of these complaints received favourable responses from MINFOF after verification and sanctioning of the concerned logging companies, FODER’s Coordinator said.

Logging Company Sanctioned 
It is this light that KODIMA Ltd, owner of a Sale of Standing Volume logging concession No. 09014762 in the Dja Forest Reserve of Dja and Lobo Division in the South Region was recently ordered by the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife “to stop its Sale of Standing Volume activities in Bengbis Subdivision in Dja and Lobo Division of South Region.” 

Prompt MINFOF Response
The order, issued on March 14, 2023, came a few days after a report by the Independent External Monitoring mission undertaken by “Forets Environment et Developpment” FODER association from March 6-14, 2023 was submitted to Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, MINFOF and the Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development, MINEPDED. The correspondence was accompanied by a formal complaint. 

SNOIE, The Transparency Mechanism 
The mission was carried out in conformity with the Standardized National System for Independent External Monitoring certification ISO 9001: 2015. This was part of the implementation of “Promoting transparency in the Cameroon forestry sector by popularising the Open Timber Portal and implementing Independent Monitoring” OTP-OI CAM project.  

Dja Forest Reserve Threatened 
During the mission, FODER held discussions with local administrative authorities on the threat the Sale of Standing Volume logging licence granted to KODIMA Limited poses to the Dja Forest Reserve, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO World Heritage site. The Sale of Standing Volume licence granted to KODIMA Limited on the western flank of the Dja Forest Reserve was done in violation of the conservation objectives contained in gazetting the forest reserve, FODER argued. “FODER commends the decision by the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife and encourages him to keep up the fight against illegal logging and to improve forestry governance in Cameroon,” a press statement from the association said. 

Framework For Sustainable Development 
Since 2002, “Forêts et Développement Rural” has set itself the task of creating a framework conducive for sustainable development through actions aimed at guaranteeing justice and equity, rights and democracy. Transparent, participatory and sustainable management of natural resources, the preservation of biological diversity and the improvement of the quality of life and the environment through the implementation of several projects.

Against Illegal Logging 
To attain this mission, FODER, in the forestry sector, carries out several activities, including the fight against illegal logging through External Independent Monitoring, OIE missions. The reports are then forwarded for action to the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, MINFOF after analysis by the Ethics Technical C...