By Ama KUDOM-AGYEMANG
Finally, the long saga on the non-issuance of Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licenses, in Ghana, ends on 30th June, 2025. Technically, therefore, at the end of the 6th month of next year, the country would see the export of her first batch of FLEGT licensed timber products to the European market.
This follows a historic deal clinched in Accra at the 12th Ghana-European Union (EU) Joint Monitoring Review Mechanism (JMRM) of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) signed between the two in November, 2009.
The two-day JMRM, held on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th November, 2024, culminated in the signing of the Aide Memoir by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, and the EU Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Irchad Razaaly. The signing of the agreement was evidence of both parties’ affirmation that all milestones had been met by Ghana and therefore FLEGT licensing could proceed.
A shared vision of legal timber trade
Minister Jinapor hailed the development as a transformative step for Ghana’s forestry sector and governance: “we have set June 30, 2025, as the date to deliver our first consignment of FLEGT-licensed timber to the EU. Ghana will become the first African country to achieve this milestone, joining Indonesia in the EU market for legal timber.”
Minister Jinapor emphasized that this achievement positions Ghana as the only African country on track to comply with the EU Deforestation Regulation, further strengthening its credibility in the global timber market. Minister Jinapor commended the EU for its unwavering support: “Your expertise and resources have been invaluable in helping us navigate the complexities of this process.”
The Minister also acknowledged the United Kingdom’s contribution to building Ghana’s technical systems, training forest auditors, and facilitating multi-stakeholder platforms essential for FLEGT licensing.
EU Ambassador H.E. Razaaly commended Ghana’s readiness, describing it as a major milestone reflecting strong international cooperation: “This achievement underscores Ghana as a credible supplier of regulated timber in global markets. The FLEGT license represents trust, a solid partnership, and a commitment to sustainable forest management.”
He emphasized that while this milestone is significant, the journey continues: “This is not the end of the VPA road. We look forward to deepening trade in legal timber products while tackling deforestation and biodiversity loss.”
Present at the signing ceremony were members from the Ghana Government Delegation led by the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, John Allotey. Others were the Technical Team comprising representatives of the private sector, civil society and officials of the Forestry Commission and the sector Ministry.
His Excellency Irchad Razaaly, led the EU Delegation. Other members of the delegation were EU member states Ambassadors to Ghana or their representatives namely – Malta, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Switzerland and some EU development partner organisations.
Also present were some media representatives.
The Pre-FLEGT license preparatory activities
The signing ceremony climaxes 15 years of intensive and elaborate preparations including high-profile multistakeholder dialogues, the establishment of the Ghana Timber Legality Assurance System (GhLAS) comprising the country’s definition of legal timber, chain of custody to track the movement of legal timber backed by the establishment of the Ghana Wood Tracking System, appointment of an Independent Monitor, and formation of the Timber Validation Department (TVD) and Timber Verification Committee (TVC) to verify the legal origins of timber products for export to the EU. The Timber Industry Development Board (TIDD) is the FLEGT Licence issuing authority.
Some highlights of the Aide Memoire
Per the Aide Memoire, Ghana has now dealt with the key outstanding matter that had become a blockade to the issuance of the FLEGT License – an issue discussed and noted at the 11th session of the JMRM held in September, 2023. The issue had to do with the Parliamentary ratification of extant leases, and permits as the final step to convert them to Timber Utilisation Contracts (TUCs), which would indicate Ghana’s “system readiness for FLEGT licensing.”
The agreement said, in July, 2024, Ghana confirmed that Parliament had ratified a total of 67 TUCs as at that time, thereby paving the way for the country to make progress in issuing FLEGT licenses. Furthermore, the country remains committed to complete the ratification process with the remaining 129 applications before Parliament.
It also stated “once the licensing system is operational, all non-compliant material including unratified TUCs would be prevented from entering the GHLAS and prevented from obtaining an export permit and/or FLEGT License if red flagged once in the system.” The GhLAS is fully digitalised and designed to ensure maximum efficiency of the timber supply chain.
Efficiency in the timber supply system means that: a consignment should be sourced from a proper TUC or with the proper legal permits. While, the timber in the consignment should also be legally harvested, in accordance with Legal Standards including respect of environmental rules or regulations regarding harvesting. So, every aspect of the process is verifiable.
Therefore, from allocation, harvesting, transportation and milling including payment of the associated taxes for the different processes such as stumpage and land rent as well as honouring SRA obligations, everything is put together to see that, that consignment is clean or legal.
The Aide Memoire reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to the December 31, 2024, deadline for TUC applications, stating: “No further applications for the conversion of existing leases and permits to TUCs will be accepted by the Forestry Commission beyond December 31, 2024.”
Private sector and civil society hail FLEGT license issuance announcement
The President of the Ghana Timber Association (GTA) and Vice President of Forest Industries Association of Ghana (FIAG), Alexander Kingford Dadzie says “the event a remembrance for industry, signaling added value to the legality, sustainability and governance of our products.”
In an interview right after the signing ceremony, he commended the move as a good step, which industry is proud of “because it has taken us many years to go through this and now we’ve gotten here. We are proud that on the 30th of June 2025 we are going to the European market with FLEGT licensed products.”
On how ready industry is for the FLEGT process, Dadzie emphasized that industry has always been ready, and explained that “when the VPA came into being in 2009, as industry people we had six months to kick start the process of ratification.” Therefore, a lot of companies initiated the process and some already have their concessions ratified. He was hopeful that the remaining 129 that are still before Parliament would also be ratified.
He acknowledged that industry is aware of the 31st December 2024 deadline given by the Forestry Commission for all who have not started the process to commence and complete it by the given date. “If you don’t do that, then it means you lose your concession if it is a lease,” the GTA President warned.
Civil society representatives on the VPA Multistakeholder Implementation Committee (MSIC) described the day’s announcement as great for Ghana and particularly for civil society.
Director for Rights and Advocacy Initiative Network (RAIN), Doreen Asumang Yeboah declared in interview: “we have seen the manifestation of the good forest governance that we’ve always been talking about. And with the announcement of FLEGT going live in June 2025, we believe all that FLEGT encompasses is going to be revealed.”
The Coordinator of Forest Watch Ghana, Albert Katako, says “Ghana’s readiness to issue FLEGT licenses is a testament to the country’s dedication to responsible forestry practices.”
Others are optimistic that the issuance of FLEGT licenses by the end of June 2025, will mark the beginning of a new chapter in the country’s forestry sector—one defined by sustainable management, robust governance, and international credibility. Beyond that, it would establish that good governance is essential not only for environmental protection, but also for the well-being of the people and the resilience of Ghana’s economy.
