FLEGT-VPA: 90% of stakeholders are not aware the process in Province Orientale, DR Congo

FLEGT-VPA: 90% of stakeholders are not aware the process in Province Orientale, DR Congo

DR Congo - 18 August, 2014

Less than 10% of the actors involved in the forestry sector have knowledge about the FLEGT-VPA negotiating process between DR Congo and the European Union, while 90% said they have no information about the process. This is the main result of an investigation conducted by TBI DR Congo in June 2014 in the Province Orientale, DR Congo.

The aim of the research was to assess the level of knowledge of the FLEGT-VPA process by local actors. The result obtained shows a lack of awareness regarding the FLEGT-VPA process by different stakeholders. Therefore the ownership and local involvement in the process are not being promoted. During the research the training needs of stakeholders to strengthen their capacity on forest governance were also identified.

The investigation was conducted by 12 researchers under the supervision of the consultant Floribert Asiane and as part of the project, "FLEGT-VPA: exploitation and legal timber trade everybody's business" that is being developed by Tropenbos International with support from FAO. This project aims to involve local stakeholders in the process of negotiating FLEGT-VPA in DR Congo.

Within the framework of the project, a training for local stakeholders involved in artisanal logging will be held from 1 to 3 September 2014, in Kisangani (RD Congo). The following themes will be part of the training: sustainable forest management, forest legislation, FLEGT-VPA process, logging with low impact, participatory mapping and artisanal logging. About 40 people will be attending the training from six areas of the Province Orientale, mainly, civil society, representatives of local authorities and local communities.