China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform puts focus on business solutions
An event in Beijing brought together Chinese and African stakeholders to focus on sustainable Chinese investment and trade affecting Africa's forests.
The third learning event of the China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform brought together more than 100 participants in Beijing to discuss how China can help sustain Africa's forest resources.
Delegates included representatives of African timber-exporting countries, Chinese officials, private sector representatives and civil society organisations. Their discussions over two days in October focused on the role of Chinese stakeholders and the private sector in working with African stakeholders to promote pro-poor and sustainable investment and trade in Africa's forests.
On the first day, participants discussed policy solutions to improving Chinese investments in Africa's land-use sectors and legality in the China-Africa trade. The second day focused on business solutions, including the opportunities and challenges of deep processing in the timber industry and shared recent findings of research to enhance sustainable forest management in Africa through investment in the forestry sector.
The event agenda is available to download (PDF), while presentations are available on IIED's SlideShare platform, as follows:
- Why Africa's forests are important for Africa, China and the world
This is an overview presentation by Gaster Kawuubye, team leader at Tree Talk Plus, Uganda.
- African forests: urgent issues and call for action
This presentation supported five speakers who discussed problems related to forests in their countries, possible solutions and suggestions for China-Africa collaboration to sustain Africa's forests.
The speakers were Dr Ben Donkor, executive director, Timber Industry Development Division, Forestry Commission (Ghana); Anicet Ngomin, deputy director, Ministry of Forests and Fauna (Cameroon); Claudio Manuel Afonso, head of Forest Department, Ministry of Land, Environment and Rural development (Mozambique); Jeannine Bokamba Bikela, head of Department, Forest Governance, Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Sustainable Development (DRC); and Nathan Mununuzi, senior environmental officer, Ministry of Water and Environment (Uganda).
- China's environmental policies for investment aboard
Professor Chazhong, director, Chinese Academy of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Environmental Protection, China
- Efforts of Shanghai Timber Trade Association and companies in improving timber trade and investment legality
Wang Shaofang, general secretary of the Shanghai Timber Industry Association described private sector efforts in promoting legality in timber trade and investment.
- Promoting legality in timber trade: update from Ghana
Dr. Ben Donkor, executive director of the Timber Industry Development Division, Forestry Commission of Ghana, discussed promoting legality in the Ghana-China timber trade, linking to Voluntary Partnership Agreements efforts in Ghana.
- Promoting legality in the China-Zambia timber trade
Mercy Kandulu of the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection in Zambia, gave a presentation on promoting legality in the China-Zambia timber trade.
- Promoting legality in the China-Senegal timber trade
Babacar Salif Gueye, technical advisor, Ministry of Environment of Senegal, also looked at promoting legality in the China-Senegal timber trade.
- Green finance policies in Chinese outward investment
Sun Yiting, is director of sustainable finance, at WWF China. His presentation described the implementation of green finance policies in Chinese outward investment.
- Corporate social responsibility risks and responsible action of multinational enterprises
Sun Lihui, director of the Liaison Department, the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals & Chemicals Importers & Exporters
- Environmental and social disclosure policies in China
Sun Xiufang, consultant with Forest Trends, looked at environmental and social disclosure policies in China with a focus on Chinese company commitments and stock exchange requirements in land-based sectors.
- Ideas for pro-poor investments in Africa
Teodyl Nkuintchua Tchoudjen, senior programme coordinator at the Centre for Environment and Development in Cameroon, highlighted issues that foreign investors should pay attention to in land-use sectors in Cameroon.
- Investment in the land sector in Uganda: issues for consideration
Onesmus Mugyenyi, deputy executive director of Advocates Coalition for Environment and Development in Uganda, highlighted some issues which foreign investors should pay attention to in the land-use sectors in Uganda.
- Recap: How can Chinese guidelines and future policies regarding land-use sectors associated with Africa's forest governance to ensure sustainability and benefits the poor?
This presentation by Dr. Junzuo Zhang, programme director, InFIT Programme, summarised a group discussion about how Chinese guidelines and future policies regarding land-use sectors can address the complex issues associated with Africa's forest governance to ensure sustainability and benefit the poor.
- Africa trends of deep processing in the timber industry
Wang Lei, a senior programme officer with WWF China, looked at the global trend for deep processing in the timber industry
- Developper l'industrie du bois pour une transformation plus poussee en Afrique Centrale, Cas du Gabon (Deep processing policy and industry parks: status quo and trends in Gabon)
This presentation, in French by Ferdin Lemami, head of the Industry of Department, Ministry of Economy, Gabon, provides an overview of strategies to develop the timber industry in Gabon, including deep processing.
- Development and challenges of deep processing by a Chinese timber company based in Gabon
This presentation by Zou Juchun, trade manager at Rong Cheng Trading Limited, presents the development and challenges of deep processing by Rong Cheng Trading Ltd, a timber company based in Gabon.
- Strategy of exploring Mozambique's forest resources
This presentation was by Mr. Zheng Fei, chairman of Mr. Forest, a Chinese timber company operating in Mozambique
- China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform: changing times, changing policy
James Mayers, director of the Natural Resources research group at IIED, summarised key points made during the China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform event and suggested ways forward in terms of policy change and business solutions to improve China-Africa timber investment and trade.
- Takeaways from the Third China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform
Rito Mabunda, forest programme coordinator, WWF Mozambique, presents his key takeaway points during the closing session of the third event of the China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform.
The China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform was launched in 2013. It brings together forest governance participants, including heads of government and forest departments from eight African countries, representatives from the Chinese Academy of Forestry, the Global Environmental Institute, IIED, WWF and some other international organisations.
By October 2016, three major international learning events – two in China and one in Cameroon – had been organised. Participants have recognised its success to date in creating an open dialogue space for Chinese, African and the international community to come together.
The latest event, on 24 and 25 october, was hosted by the Research Institute of Forestry Policy and Information; Chinese Academy of Forestry; Centre for International Forest Products Trade, State Forestry Administration; IIED; EFI EU FLEGT Facility; the Global Environmental Institute and World Wildlife Fund China.