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THE Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, Thursday, held a National Preparatory Workshop for Guyana’s engagement with the European Union Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Initiative (EU/FLEGT) programme, at which focus was placed on the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) Guyana currently has with the EU. 
Illegal trade of timber and timber products poses a serious problem globally, with an estimated loss in revenue of $20B annually. As such, the EU/FLEGT programme is a voluntary agreement inked between Guyana and the EU to ensure that timber, and its products exported from Guyana, are of acceptable standards.
Natural Resources, Environment Minister Robert Persaud, in his address at the workshop held in the Guyana Forestry Commission’s Multiplex, Kingston, pointed to the fact that because of the way in which Guyana manages its forest resources, the agreement will at no time impose additional burdens.
He stated that due to the strict adherence which governs Guyana’s forest law, the country can easily satisfy any international benchmark to ensure that timber exported is legally sourced.
“In fact, we are quite certain that our systems are robust and capable for us to deliver without having any fear that this will undermine progress in the forestry sector…we must not at any time underestimate the importance of the forestry sector to our social and economic development,” he said.
According to Minister Persaud, while the EU market is at present not the most lucrative, it is an important one. Currently, US$6M is being exported annually, with US$4M going to the Netherlands.
In this regard, government intends to not only see the forestry sector maintain its current level of deforestation and productivity, but also expand, so that additional opportunities can be enjoyed.
Jose Millan, Representative of the EU Delegation to Guyana, spoke of some of the devastating impacts illegal logging has on the forestry sector, alluding to the fact that the EU/FLEGT programme is a key response to addressing the problem.
He stated that while the plan of the FLEGT programme provides a number of measures to exclude illegal timber from markets, it will see an increase in the demand for responsible timber products.
“The EU is pleased that the Government of Guyana has agreed to commence formal negotiation with the EU with the objective of concluding negotiations on the VPA by September 2015,” he said.
The national preparatory workshop is funded by the EU from a budget of €10M.
Millan called on government to structure a national negotiation process to ensure genuine information sharing, as well as fair stakeholder participation.
Meanwhile, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Representative to Guyana, Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul, spoke of the new EU-FAO programme, which started in May 2012, as a follow up to the FLEGT programme.
“FAO recognises through our partnership with the EU in the implementation of the ACP/FLEGT and the new EU/FAO FLEGT programme, that the action plan is a useful and necessary tool to raise awareness about, and address the issues of illegal timber and timber products sold on the international markets,” she said.
Over the past two years, the FAO has provided assistance to the GFC through a number of initiatives. These include two Letters of Agreement for US$102,400 and US$15,400. The latter will also see greater stakeholder participation in two key areas of policy operations within the forestry sector: the EU/FLEGT and VPA and the National Log Export Policy.
“More recently, FAO also signed two letters of agreement with the Guyana Forestry Commission. One for US$35,000, to assist the organisation in a regional knowledge sharing workshop and lessons learnt from the EU FLEGT- VPA process, and the second also for US$35,000, to support a process to develop a road map to negotiations to the Voluntary Partnership Agreement,” she added.
The Guyana Government has committed to ensuring that sustainable forest management and legality are maintained and has since put in place legal and policy frameworks to ensure this continues.
Since its initiation, the country has made significant strides in eliminating illegal logging. Guyana adopted the EU-FLEGT Action Plan in 2003, in recognition of the increased public concern about the social consequences of illegal logging.
Upon the completion of the agreement between Guyana and the EU, the VPA will be used as legal binding agreement for the two countries. (GINA)
Illegal trade of timber and timber products poses a serious problem globally, with an estimated loss in revenue of $20B annually. As such, the EU/FLEGT programme is a voluntary agreement inked between Guyana and the EU to ensure that timber, and its products exported from Guyana, are of acceptable standards.Natural Resources, Environment Minister Robert Persaud, in his address at the workshop held in the Guyana Forestry Commission’s Multiplex, Kingston, pointed to the fact that because of the way in which Guyana manages its forest resources, the agreement will at no time impose additional burdens.
He stated that due to the strict adherence which governs Guyana’s forest law, the country can easily satisfy any international benchmark to ensure that timber exported is legally sourced.
“In fact, we are quite certain that our systems are robust and capable for us to deliver without having any fear that this will undermine progress in the forestry sector…we must not at any time underestimate the importance of the forestry sector to our social and economic development,” he said.
According to Minister Persaud, while the EU market is at present not the most lucrative, it is an important one. Currently, US$6M is being exported annually, with US$4M going to the Netherlands.
In this regard, government intends to not only see the forestry sector maintain its current level of deforestation and productivity, but also expand, so that additional opportunities can be enjoyed.
Jose Millan, Representative of the EU Delegation to Guyana, spoke of some of the devastating impacts illegal logging has on the forestry sector, alluding to the fact that the EU/FLEGT programme is a key response to addressing the problem.
He stated that while the plan of the FLEGT programme provides a number of measures to exclude illegal timber from markets, it will see an increase in the demand for responsible timber products.
“The EU is pleased that the Government of Guyana has agreed to commence formal negotiation with the EU with the objective of concluding negotiations on the VPA by September 2015,” he said.
The national preparatory workshop is funded by the EU from a budget of €10M.Millan called on government to structure a national negotiation process to ensure genuine information sharing, as well as fair stakeholder participation.
Meanwhile, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Representative to Guyana, Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul, spoke of the new EU-FAO programme, which started in May 2012, as a follow up to the FLEGT programme.
“FAO recognises through our partnership with the EU in the implementation of the ACP/FLEGT and the new EU/FAO FLEGT programme, that the action plan is a useful and necessary tool to raise awareness about, and address the issues of illegal timber and timber products sold on the international markets,” she said.
Over the past two years, the FAO has provided assistance to the GFC through a number of initiatives. These include two Letters of Agreement for US$102,400 and US$15,400. The latter will also see greater stakeholder participation in two key areas of policy operations within the forestry sector: the EU/FLEGT and VPA and the National Log Export Policy.
“More recently, FAO also signed two letters of agreement with the Guyana Forestry Commission. One for US$35,000, to assist the organisation in a regional knowledge sharing workshop and lessons learnt from the EU FLEGT- VPA process, and the second also for US$35,000, to support a process to develop a road map to negotiations to the Voluntary Partnership Agreement,” she added.
The Guyana Government has committed to ensuring that sustainable forest management and legality are maintained and has since put in place legal and policy frameworks to ensure this continues.
Since its initiation, the country has made significant strides in eliminating illegal logging. Guyana adopted the EU-FLEGT Action Plan in 2003, in recognition of the increased public concern about the social consequences of illegal logging.
Upon the completion of the agreement between Guyana and the EU, the VPA will be used as legal binding agreement for the two countries. (GINA)
