Gabon

First Paramilitary Unit Established within Gabon's Ministry of Water and Forests

On March 26, the Gabonese Ministry of Water and Forests, Environment, Climate held an inauguration ceremony for the first operational unit of its paramilitary force. As a now fully operational unit, this first contingent has undergone rigorous training to protect the environment and address challenges related to the illegal exploitation of natural resources.

During the ceremony, the Government's Vice President also inaugurated the Operational Control Center of Gabon's National System for the Legality and Traceability of Timber (CCO/SNCTBG)" located within the ministry. This strategic tool aims to enhance transparency, ensure traceability, and improve governance in the timber sector.

Gabon Plans New Data Center to Enhance Timber Sector’s Transparency

On March 12, Gabon's Minister of Water and Forests, Environment, Climate announced the establishment of a national data center to ensure the traceability of logs from the forest to the export port.

Its system will be based on the digitalization and centralized management of forestry data. It will enable the competent authority to track each tree from the initial stage of forest management – including GPS marking before felling, measurement of harvested volumes, and monitoring of timber sent to processing mills, finished products, and exports.

Simultaneously, the system will integrate data between various government agencies, including forestry management and customs authorities. Through this, the authorities hope to improve collaboration and regulatory efficiency across the entire timber value chain.

Officials stated that this digital data center will help enhance transparency, increase data reliability, reduce fraud risks, and further strengthen the state's control over forest resources. In the long term, the system is expected to comprehensively improve regulatory efficiency across the entire chain "from production to export," thereby providing strong support for achieving more sustainable resource management.

Republic of the Congo

Congo Plans to Plant 100 Hectares of Trees in Bambou Mingali

On March 12, the National Afforestation and Reforestation Program (Pronar) of the Republic of Congo, the Congo Climate Network (RCC), and the Tropical Tobacco Industry and Agriculture Company (SIAT) signed a tripartite agreement in Brazzaville. The agreement plans to implement an afforestation and ecotourism project named "Ndzété ya bomoyi" covering 100 hectares within the Bambou Mingali state reserve in the Djoué-Léfini Department.

The project will plant mainly Limba wood (Terminalia superba) and Acacia mangium, helping to restore forest landscapes, enhance carbon sequestration capacity, and support national reforestation policies.

The project also plans to promote agroforestry to benefit local residents. Forty-eight families will each receive 2 hectares of land to carry out agricultural activities combined with the afforestation project.

ATIBT Launches Wood Laboratory in the Congo to Promote Lesser-Known Timber Species

The International Tropical Timber Technical Association (ATIBT) is promoting the "Lesser-Known Timber Species (LKTS)" project in the Republic of Congo to diversify the domestic market supply and reduce pressure on over-exploited species.

As part of the "Domestic Timber Market in Congo (MIB)" project, funded by the EU and implemented by ATIBT, a technical mission led by Jean Gérard, a wood science and technology engineer from the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), worked in Brazzaville to strengthen local capacity to establish a wood testing laboratory.

The highlight of this mission was a meeting with the Minister of Forest Economy, who welcomed the initiative and provided strategic guidance to ensure its success. She offered specific recommendations aimed at aligning the laboratory's activities with national priorities for sustainable forest resource management and the promotion of local tree species.

Congo's Timber Industry Navigates Pressures

Entering 2026, climatic conditions in the Republic of Congo have become more stable, improving the working environment in forest areas. However, overall production still faces upward pressure due to weak demand from China and persistently sluggish European markets.

The main commercial tree species in the northern region remain sandalwood, ayous, greenheart (ovangkol), African padauk (kévazingo), ekop (red ironwood), and okoume (augoustein).

According to industry feedback, current log inventories at sawmills are generally sufficient to meet two to three months of production needs. However, facing weak demand and uncertain prospects in export markets, manufacturers are generally adopting conservative production capacity strategies.

Due to low demand in the Chinese market, upstream harvesting has slowed down. Simultaneously, sawmills are accelerating their efforts to redirect delivery channels towards the European market.

Congo’s Log Production and Export in 2025

According to the economic briefing from the Congo's Ministry of Economy, after a downturn marked by three consecutive quarters of decline, log production in the Republic of Congo saw a positive turnaround in the fourth quarter of 2025. Harvesting volumes reached 300,749 cubic meters, a 0.9% increase compared to 298,082 cubic meters in the same period of 2024. This technical performance was primarily attributed to an improved operating environment, especially better fuel supply conditions.

However, this rebound at the end of the year was insufficient to offset the whole year's performance, with log production falling by 2.8% for the full year 2025.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, log exports decreased by 9.6% year-on-year, falling to 73,713 cubic meters (compared to 81,513 cubic meters in the same period the previous year).

This decline is far from temporary; it is a direct result of the government's strategy to ban the export of unprocessed timber. This industrial sovereignty policy aims to promote local processing to capture more added value and create jobs within the national economic system.

Ghana

Ghana Launches Second Phase of "Tree for Life" Initiative

Ghana's Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, officially launched the second phase of the "Tree for Life" reforestation initiative.

Speaking at the 2026 International Day of Forests commemoration held at the Achimota Forest Reserve, the Minister revealed that Ghana planted over 30 million tree seedlings in 2025, directly creating more than 41,000 jobs. The target for 2026 is to plant another 30 million tree seedlings.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Forestry Commission, Hugh C. A. Brown, emphasized the economic and ecological value of forests in his address. Reviewing progress, he noted that under the "Tree for Life Initiative 2025," a total of 23,600 hectares of degraded landscapes were restored, and the total number of tree seedlings planted nationwide exceeded 30.8 million.

Ghanaian Government Committed to Completing Stalled Housing Projects

On March 4, Ghana’s Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Oye Bampoe Addo, speaking at the National Housing Home Ownership Expo in Accra, reiterated the government's firm determination to restart and complete stalled housing projects nationwide.

The government official stated: "The government has committed to completing all ongoing housing schemes, starting with long-delayed projects such as the Saglemi affordable housing project."

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Homeownership Fund, a government agency responsible for expanding access to affordable mortgage financing, revealed that under the "National Mortgage Scheme," the agency will introduce single-digit mortgage interest rates, which will make home loans more affordable for low- and middle-income groups.

Ghana continues to face a severe housing shortage, with an estimated deficit of approximately 2 million units. Despite growing housing demand, several affordable housing projects remain unfinished.