Improving the processing and trade of African wood and wood products (WWPs) has long been a focus for African policymakers because it stimulates multiple benefits for the African continent, including the creation of jobs, investment, and revenues.

The Roadmap articulates a comprehensive set of policy solutions, establishing the architecture to better organize conversations among partners and policymakers. It also offers a starting point to consider the optimal approach and mix of policies required to advance desired wildfire resilience outcomes.

Overall consumption of primary processed wood products is expected to grow 37 percent by 2050 in a business-as-usual scenario, according to this report published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

From drinking a glass of water to building a house, forests are precious resources for people’s lives and are key to solving many global challenges, including the climate crisis and poverty, according to this new report developed by the FAO in collaboration with the European Forest Institute (EFI).

The current report was compiled by the FAO Regional Office for Near East and North Africa (NENA) and is aimed at providing member countries with a source of reliable and timely data on the status of forest resources in the region and supporting them in their evidence-based decision-making and planning for the development of the forestry sector.

It is estimated that between 50%-90% of Africa’s trade in tropical timber and products is illegal which has a significant negative impact on any national economy. It is well-documented that economic activities operating outside the law impact the economy, exacerbate poverty and worsen the quality of forest management.

The Congo Basin is made up of six countries: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Global resource use could double by 2050, representing an opportunity for tropical timber producers, according to a study published by ITTO. It forecasts that tropical industrial roundwood production will increase substantially by mid-century but says the sector needs a boost if it is to maximize its contribution to carbon-neutral production.

Populations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) living on the fringes of forests indubitably rely on them for income and subsistence. But unsustainable practices can lead to resource degradation and depletion, threatening the very basis of their livelihoods.

To meet global restoration needs and recover degraded forests and landscapes, adequate public and private investments are required to support restoration activities on the ground.