EU FAO FLEGT ended 2nd phase in Mozambique
On last 27th September the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held the closing meeting of the project EU FAO FLEGT for "Strengthening capacities of the private sector in Mozambique's timber industry in Maputo City."
The one year lasting project ended its second phase that aimed to support the implementation of the EU Action Plan on "Legislation and Governance of Forest Resources".
This project had as main objectives to increase awareness and knowledge on forest governance within FLEGT Action Plan, to refocus the capacity of the Mozambican Association of Timber Operators (AMOMA) and its role in sustainable forest management and to establish cooperation between the key players of the timber sector through creating a platform to discuss the prospects and future projects.
In the closing session, the FAO Representative in Mozambique, Castro Camarada, said that "there are still many challenges ahead to improve forest governance, reduce lawlessness, and to ensure the sustainable management of the forest for present and future generations."
The FAO Representative in Mozambique also said that "in order to continue this work by creating strong synergies, the European Union / FAO FLEGT programme starts this year its third phase, which will finance initiatives function of demand working more closely with the private sector, particularly forestry companies of small and medium scale, to define and solve their main blockages in the production of legal timber".
The new phase of the program will be implemented in collaboration with other related initiatives such as the Partnership Facility Forest Carbon (FCPF) and the Investment Program Forest (FIP) of the World Bank.
The programme's support priorities for the country will be defined through a participatory process involving different stakeholders, government, civil society and the private sector.
Castro Camarada also said that "FAO expects that the new phase of the EU / FAO FLEGT program, lead to more projects that promote transparency and accountability in the forestry sector cable".
The meeting was attended members of the FAO, members of the European Union, technicians DINAF, AQUA, Tax Authority, AMOMA, project partners and other stakeholders related to forestry.