FOCUS AREA 2: Forest and Land-related laws and policies
Focus Area 2 aims to improve forest and land-related laws and policies and joint sustainable management of forest resources, support efforts against illegal logging, and integrate gender perspectives. These goals contribute to the ECOWAS Convergence Plan and international commitments like the SDGs and NDCs.
1. Assessment of policy and legal forest frameworks: Analysis of the existing forest-related legal frameworks in seven countries, with recommendations for promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) and overcome transboundary challenges, in line with international and subregional agreements. This includes multi-stakeholders and multi-scale engagement and a gender-focused legal gap analysis considering also gender aspects conducted in partnership with ECOWAS.
2. Development of guidance on “Strengthening Decentralized Forest Governance”: Enhancing local forest governance in four countries to empower active engagement from local stakeholders and vulnerable groups in forest decision-making processes.
3. Strengthened institutional responses to combat wildlife crime through training, capacity building and law enforcement.
4. Subregional legal exchanges: Sharing legal experiences of the seven countries among 15 ECOWAS member countries, for increased capacity across the region.
Assessment and recommendations for forest-related legal frameworks
To identify cross-border challenges and deforestation trends at the subregional level, as well as to showcase best practices, common obstacles, and replicable legal solutions for other ECOWAS countries, a Comparative analysis of seven legal reports was conducted.
Two additional studies were carried out to support capacity-building efforts. The first study is a guide titled Strengthening decentralized forest governance in West Africa, which draws on lessons learned from the focus countries and highlights best national practices. The second study is a training module aimed at enhancing institutional capacities to address forest-related crimes across the sub-region, aligning with the new ECOWAS strategy to combat wildlife trafficking and related criminal activities.
Seven countries were prioritized based on a shared online survey that considered the legal frameworks of all 15 countries. The existing forest-related legal frameworks were assessed, and recommendations formulated to promote legal reforms or implement legal provisions in: Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.
In the news:
- Workshop in Dakar on Forestry law
- Une déforestation de près de 53 000 hectares enregistrée chaque année en Afrique de l’ouest (officiel)
- Déforestation en Afrique de l’Ouest : pour une coopération transfrontalière
- Harmonisation du cadre juridique forestier : sept pays de la sous-région en conclave à Dakar, pour un partage de pratiques
- La protection des forêts ouest-africaines: un atelier régional à Dakar
Key publications
- Stakeholders' survey on forest legal frameworks in 15 West African countries
- Comparative legal study on forests in West Africa (available in English and French)
- Strengthening decentralized forest governance in West Africa (available in English and French)
- Rapport d’étude juridique sur les forêts en Côte d’Ivoire
- Legal study on forest in Ghana
- Rapport d’étude juridique sur les forêts en Guinée
- Legal study on forestry in The Gambia
- Strengthening the forestry legal framework in Liberia
- Étude juridique sur les forêts en Sénégal
- Legal study on forestry in Sierra Leone
- Report of the regional exchange workshop on forest legal frameworks and deforestation on trends
- Tackling forest crime in West Africa (available in English and French)
Partners
Contacts
Francesca Felicani-Robles
Forestry Officer, REDD+ legal matters, FAO Forestry Division