“Ghana has set June 30, 2025, as the date to deliver our first consignment of FLEGT-licensed timber to the EU.” This was announced by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, during the 12th session of the Ghana-EU Joint Monitoring and Review Mechanism (JMRM) of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) at the Kempinski Hotel.
According to the Minister, this milestone will make Ghana the second in the world after Indonesia and the first and only African country to comply with the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation on timber and timber products. Hon. Jinapor expressed his gratitude to partners in the European Union (EU) for their unwavering support and collaboration throughout this journey. He also extended appreciation to all stakeholders, including the Forestry Commission, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the private sector, civil society organizations, and community members, acknowledging their invaluable expertise and resources in navigating the complexities of this process.
Permit me to also acknowledge the United Kingdom, which was the member state partnering with Ghana prior to Brexit. Through development cooperation with the UK, Ghana received grant funding to develop its technical systems, establish multi-stakeholder deliberative platforms, train forest auditors, and implement the independent auditing requirements under the agreement. The significance of this contribution cannot be overstated.
The Ambassador of the European Union to Ghana, H.E. Irchad Razaaly, stated that FLEGT licensing in Ghana is ready to go live, and the EU is prepared to receive the first shipment on June 30, 2025. “Today is a historic moment for the EU and Ghana in this partnership that began 15 years ago, and we are here to stay and support Ghana in the long run,” he added. He also noted that Ghana’s commitment to legal timber sourcing would attract investors, develop the timber industry, and create decently paid jobs in Ghana.
The Former Director of the Timber Validation Department (TVD), Mr. Chris Beeko, provided a summary of the extensive technical discussions held between EU and Ghana representatives a day before the event. These discussions, led by Forestry Commission Chief Executive Mr. John Allotey, covered JMRM’s decision to update Annex 1 of the VPA, the status of timber rights ratification, enforcement of the legality assurance system, illegal mining concerns raised by the ForestWatch, EU preparations to receive Ghana’s FLEGT licenses, the Go-live date, and Ghana’s market entry for FLEGT licenses. Other topics included interaction with civil society, EU FLEGT VPA program support, and the date of the next JMRM.
The program concluded with the signing of an Aid Memoire, a working document between Ghana and the EU that captures major action points for the technical interaction. The Aid Memoire encapsulates the key outcomes of the discussions and serves as a roadmap for future actions, underscoring both parties’ commitment to enhancing transparency, accountability, and sustainable forest resource management in Ghana. The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources signed on behalf of the Republic of Ghana, while the EU Ambassador signed on behalf of the EU.
Also present were the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Mr. John Allotey, the Technical Director of Forestry at the MLNR, Mr. Joseph Osiakwan, and additional staff from the MLNR and FC. Ambassadors from Malta, the Czech Republic, France, and representatives from the Swiss Embassy, the UK High Commission, and the Italian Embassy’s Deputy Head were also in attendance.
