PAFC Cameroon to initiate standard development process

14 March 2014 News

“After many years of hard work, we are finally able to hold our first Stakeholder Forum, the official public kick-off for the development process of our Cameroonian forest management certification standard,” said Christine Nkene, President of PAFC Cameroon, the PEFC International member for Cameroon.

Stakeholders will tackle some of the fundamental issues in this first step of the standards development process, including the standards development procedures itself as well as stakeholder mapping. The Forum will furthermore discuss essential aspects of a Cameroonian sustainable forest management standard.

Around 150 participants from a wide range of sectors, including forestry, business, government, research and civil society are expected to participate in the Forum, which is organized in partnership with the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Technological Development (MINMIDT). The Forum will take place at the Franco Hotel in Yaounde on 27 and 28 March.

Stakeholders hope to be able to submit the Cameroonian national forest certification system for assessment to PEFC International before the end of 2014. PAFC Cameroon has already been a member of PEFC since 2007, becoming the second country in Africa to join PEFC.

Over the past three years, a wide range of stakeholders, with assistance from PEFC International, have engaged with the Cameroonian forestry sector through a range of outreach activities to secure backing for the development of a national Cameroonian standard. The process now also enjoys the support of the Cameroonian government, through the MINMIDT involvement.

The Cameroonian initiative follows the example set by PAFC Gabon which has had its national forest certification system endorsed by PEFC since 2009, after joined PEFC in 2004. Since 2013 the Republic of Congo has also begun the process of developing a national certification system, with the intent to ultimately submit it for endorsement by PEFC International.