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Chatham House July 2007

Chatham House July 2007. SM Certification in the Congo Basin Region IFIA (Interafrican Forest Industries Association) Hervé Bourguignon. IFIA represents the private sector. FIB DRC. SPIB Côte d’Ivoire. GFBC Cameroon. IFIA Represents 300 firms. UFIGA Gabon. ATIBT.

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Chatham House July 2007

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  1. Chatham HouseJuly 2007 SM Certification in the Congo Basin Region IFIA (Interafrican Forest Industries Association) Hervé Bourguignon

  2. IFIA represents the private sector FIB DRC SPIB Côte d’Ivoire GFBC Cameroon IFIA Represents 300 firms UFIGA Gabon ATIBT « La Fondation » 16 major companies

  3. Sustainable management in the Congo Basin Region • SM has made conciderable progress in only five years • Two concessions obtained a FSC certication. A growing number of timber companies are working on it. • Less than 2% of surfaces are certified • It is not enough

  4. How to give a sustainability content to the Flegt process ? • A wide variety of players • SFM is not afordable for many players • Some FMP of poor quality • Illegal operators have no intention to work on SM • few candidates can reach certification • To get the commitment of the most important companies • A large portion of certified area would change the overall situation and have an impact outside concessions

  5. IFIA/ATIBT:a new momentum to SM • A well managed Certified forest enterprise represent security: • Protecting local populations and Protecting wild life and fighting against poaching • Converting wood suppliers of certified concessions into virtuous actors • National parks would be protected from outside • A clear mobilization towards certification would turn around the problematic in the Congo Forest Region • The objective of IFIA / ATIBT: 10 million hectares certified by 2012 20% of the surfaces awarded to logging operations

  6. 10 m ha of certified areas can only be reached through a combined effort IFIA calls on all stakeholders to open discussions on • one unique certification guideline for the Congo Basin Region adapted to the African context • a clear separation between social obligations incumbing to timber companies and the state • financing for candidates to certification • Stakeholders involved are: • FSC institution, NGOs • Donors and cooperation agencies • Local administrations

  7. How to reach 10 million hectares of certified concessions? • today The 15 biggest companies with a long term vision have decided to join their effort and create the momentum. • They represent around 18 million ha. They are gathered in « la Fondation ». • Their objective is to reach 7 million ha of certified operations by 2012: 70% of the general objective of 10 million Ha • If conditions fulfilled, more would join: a virtuous circle would be created

  8. A clear commitment of « La Fondation » on SM certification • The commitments will be achieved in two steps • The situation in 2007 • In 2007: 300 000 ha of FSC certified forests, • 2 million including other systems • 9 million ha of legality certificate • But about 3 million ha are close to FSC certification

  9. Companies of « La Fondation » commit themselves on SM certification • Two steps: one to be achieved before dic. 2009 and one before dic. 2012 • In december 2009 => a Legality Certificate • All companies will have to prove their legality with a legality Certificate (OLB, TLTV, Controlled Wood, Smartwood…). Exclusion will sanction non compliance • In december 2012: 40% of their surfaces SM certified –FSC or PAFC

  10. Pre-requisites • A certification guideline adapted to Africa • Establishing a national guideline should not be left to Certification bodies • National guideline should be trans-regional • FSC should have stabilized requirements =>Companies need to know the rules of the game in order to invest. • Define where obligations of the company starts and stops • In DRC: 150 000 ha – 50 000 unhabitants. Brazil: cies own the land • Well being in certified TCies attrack all surrounding population • Concept of autochtone population • What is development • Financing for candidates to certification

  11. Social aspects • Few successful experiences • Arrival of a timber company brings hope that cannot be fulfilled • How to create a balanced dialog? • Connection with the market- cash • Traditional chefs are challenged • There is no pre- set solution • IFIA/ ATIBT and FAO shall collaborate in order to gain experience on how to solve conflicts between villages and companies

  12. How the future might look like!

  13. Conclusions • IFIA and ATIBT promote certification of sustainable management: • Local producers: « Europe fortress of virtue » • Adress the right problem: Poverty • And small illegal players • Forum ATIBT in Belem in november 2007

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