EU and Thailand hold 2nd negotiation on legal timber trade agreement

Thailand and the European Union (EU) have held their second round of negotiations on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT).

Accountability and consolidating peace: civil society engagement in the Central African Republic

According to an African proverb, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.’ The growing involvement of civil society in managing natural resources in the Central African Republic seems to indicate that the country is prepared to go far.

Greater participation of women for improved forest management in Liberia

An article published in Front Page Africa describes the progress made by Liberia towards good forest governance since the end of the 14-year civil war, highlighting the ‘gradual rise’ of women’s participation in the forest sector. The writer outlines the benefits of greater participation of women in decision-making processes related to forests.

Analysis of gender impacts of the Ghana VPA with European Union

Fern commissioned this study of gender issues in Ghana’s FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement as a tentative first step to looking at gender issues which have to date received only scant attention.

Communities benefit at last from Liberia’s money trees

It’s a myth that money doesn’t grow on trees — a glance at any timber baron’s bank balance would confirm that. But for people living near tropical forests it has long been clear that when money flows to logging companies, there is little left behind for local development. Now, in Liberia, that is all changing, thanks in part to a trade deal called a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) the country negotiated with the EU.

VPAs and SMEs in Mekong countries – new website and discussion group

The EU FLEGT Facility has launched a web page and online forum focused on small and informal forest products enterprises in the context of Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) in the Mekong region.