Liberia—Long-Term Technical Assistance for the Implementation of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA)

This project works to increase the value of traded timber products, strengthen forest law enforcement and governance, and share forest benefits more equitably through implementation of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA) between Liberia and the European Union (EU).

The forest sector plays a key role in Liberia’s sustainable socioeconomic development, poverty reduction, and economic growth. FLEGT-VPA aims to reduce the risk of civil conflict through improvements in forest governance and sustainable forest management.

Sample Activities

• Build on earlier results that established systems, institutions, and capacity for the VPA, and further transfer the responsibility for VPA from donors to the Government of Liberia.
• Support Liberia’s Forestry Development Authority in coordination and cooperation between the various support projects, stakeholders, and funders, notably the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
• Support use and development of the Forward Planner, which details the actions required to raise capacity and achieve compliance with the VPA’s 11 principles.

Select Results (since 2013)

• Supported Liberia’s Forestry Development Authority in coordination and cooperation with support projects, stakeholders, and funders, notably FCDO and the EU.
• Re-established the Benefit Sharing Trust, putting in place procedures and processes that have ensured more than $1 million in taxes generated from timber extraction has been shared with forest communities.
• Built systems, institutions, and capacity for the VPA and further transferred responsibility for the Authority from donors to the Government of Liberia.
• Revised the Code of Forest Harvesting Practices, setting parameters for legal and sustainable management of forest resources.
• Enabled the Forestry Development Authority’s GIS Unit to develop accurate forest maps for sustainable resource management planning, monitoring, and prevention of illegal logging.
• Established the nongovernmental organization Coalition Secretariat to provide civil society with representation in the VPA process.
• Established the Liberia Timber Association Secretariat to promote private sector engagement in and awareness of the VPA.
• Supported private sector operators to understand the improved regulatory environment, and how they can work towards compliance to ensure access to European timber markets in the future.
• Facilitated a memorandum of understanding between the Forestry Development Authority and the Ministry of Justice to strengthen cooperation and enforcement.