Country Risk Profiles

Timber

Save your supply chain for quick access to risk data in the future. You will also receive notifications about changes in the risk profile of countries in your supply chain. You will need to create a supply chain for each country of origin that you source from.

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3

Risk score

91

Specified risks related to 22 sub-categories

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Analyse Risque Légalité FRList of Applicable Legislation EN-FRGuide Actions Atténuation FRDocument Guide FR

About Gabon

Overview of forest resources in GabonGabon has around 23 million hectares of forest (FAO, 2020; African Development Bank, 2021), the majority of which are primary forests or naturally regenerated forests. These types of forest represent around 87% of the total surface area (Timber Trade Portal, 2021).Gabon does not have high deforestation rates, notably because of the country's low density of population. The deforestation rate is thought to be around 0.12% per year, and the average degradation rate 0.09% (Timber Trade Portal, 2021). The Global Forest Watch platform identifies no reason that the country should see permanent deforestation, given that the majority of instances of loss of forest coverage are the result of slash and burn agriculture. Forest degradation is a result of industrial logging and illegal logging in areas opened up by legal logging (Timber Trade Portal, 2021).Gabon also has quite a large number of national parks and other protected areas (covering a total of more than 12% of the country's land). The Lopé national park is a UNESCO world heritage site.“There are three main types of forest in Gabon:• Evergreen forests in the west, which are strongly exploited, degraded and reduced in some areas to secondary forests, characterised by Okoumé (Aucomea klaineana), one of the most important species in the Gabon wood industry, and Ozigo (Dacryodes buettneri);• Dense rainforest in central Gabon, covering the largest part of the country, with numerous species found in similar forests elsewhere in the region, such as Azobé (Lophira alata), Acajou (Entandrophragma spp. and Khaya spp.), Aiélé (Canarium schweinfurthii) and Ayous (Triplochiton scleroxylon);• Semi-deciduous forests in the north-east, characterised by trees such as Limba (Terminalia superba), Wenge (Millettia laurentii) and Ayous (Triplochiton scleroxylon).” (Timber Trade Portal, 2021) Overview of forest management All forest area belongs to the Gabon state. In December 2018, The Gabonese government embarked on its “National Planning for the Allocation of Land and Forest Monitoring to promote sustainable development strategies for Gabon” programme, as part of its contribution to the Central African Forest Initiative. The aim of the programme is to improve the allocation of land and minimise deforestation and forest degradation.According to the Gabon Forest Code, all forest land falls under the national domain and is the exclusive property of the state (Art. 13 of Law n°016/2001). The national forest domain is divided into (1) the permanent forest domain and (2) the rural forest domain (Art. 5 of Law n°016/2001).The permanent forest domain (DFPE) covers 14 million hectares of land. This domain is in turn divided into (1) classified state forests (4 million hectares) and (2) registered productive forests (10 million hectares). The aim is to ensure that all productive forests are managed sustainably (Nze Nguema, 2009).The rural forest domain (DFR) covers 8 million hectares of land. It comprises land and forest that can only be used by rural communities (Art. 12 of Law n°016/2001).On 5 November 2009, the President of the Gabonese Republic announced a ban on exporting wood in logs to importing countries as of 1 January 2010. In 2009, the local processing rate was estimated at 45% (7% in 1995) SYNFOGA, 1995). By way of this decision, the government declared its ambition to accelerate the industrialisation process and thus ensure the promotion of “local processing [of] forest species with a view to creating more wealth to curb unemployment, notably amongst young people and women, and to exporting finished and semi-finished products with high added value.” The general aim of this approach is to reinforce the diversification of the economy, in order to reduce the country’s financial dependency on oil. In September 2018, during a visit to a sawmill in Gabon, the President of the Gabonese Republic announced that by 2022, all forest concessions in Gabon would need to have obtained the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) environmental certification (Presidency of the Gabonese Republic, 2018). Profile of the Gabon timber industryIndustrial production in Gabon is significantly dominated by sawing (accounting for more than 70% of the country’s total production), however Gabon is different from other countries in the same sub-region in that it records relatively high plywood/veneer production levels (Gabon is in the top 5 global exporters of tropical wood veneers). The number of timber processing units increased from 82 to 162 between 2009 and 2017/2018, i.e. 80 factories installed during those eight (8) years. This trend has continued with the installation of other processing units, leading to a total of 197 units in 2020 with 70 in the Nkok Special Economic Zone (SEZ) (OFAC-2015 to 2017, DGF cited by FRMi study, August 2018). The number of Asian-owned wood processing units has increased the most, to the detriment of European-owned processing units (Timber Trade Portal, 2021).Nkok Special Economic ZoneThe Nkok Special Economic Zone (abbreviated “Nkok SEZ”) was created in 2012 (Decree nº0461/PR/MPITPTHTAT of 10 October 2012 on the creation and organisation of the Nkok Special Economic Zone). The Nkok SEZ is home to the following activities: the development of activities relating to timber processing and exports; services relating to activities linked to the wood sector; the manufacturing, assembly and storage of finished products and other goods resulting from the treatment and processing of raw wood; the processing of natural resources and the production of electricity. The development and management of the Nkok Special Economic Zone were allocated to GABON SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE SA (GSEZ SA). An administrative authority was also established in the Nkok SEZ (Law nº10/2011 of 18 July 2011). This authority is a geographical and operational cluster of all state administrations and departments involved in the creation, supervision, monitoring and management of the companies established within the Nkok SEZ. Local agency TRACER-Nkok also deployed the TRACER service within the Nkok SEZ, which aims to ensure a minimum level of traceability for the wood circulating in the area. Since 1 October 2018, TRACER-Nkok has covered all log flows coming into the Nkok SEZ. TRACER-Nkok is jointly managed by two entities: Brainforest (Gabonese NGO) and FRM Gabon (forestry engineering firm).TRACER declarations attest that the log supplier:• exists legally;• is complying with all tax obligations;• has all the necessary rights to access the resource;• is complying with the minimum social requirements (CNSS, CNAMGS, wages, no children employed, contributions to the local development fund);• is supplying logs that can be traced back to the cutting area concerned, without any risk of logs from non-managed origins;• respects the legal requirements relating to the collection of wood on the ground. It’s important to note that incoming processed wood (accounting for the equivalent of around 15% of incoming logs) are not TRACER-certified, nor is wood with a sustainable forest management certification or plantation wood. Wood exchanged between plants within the SEZ is also not monitored either.There is a website where public information on the procedures can be obtained, including a database of declarations that verify their validity and scope (http://frm.group/fr/espace-prive). VIEW MOREAround 85.4% (22,000,000 ha) of Gabon is covered by forests, of which: about 65% is primary forest about 35% is naturally regenerated forest a tiny proportion is plantations (about 30,000 ha). Half of the country’s forests are production forests. All forests are state-owned and are divided into the Permanent Forest Estate (PFE) and Rural Forest Domain. Timber is the second most important export (after oil); it goes mainly to China and the EU. Several legality risks are present in Gabon timber supply chains. The risks are wide ranging and appear across all categories of law. If you are sourcing timber from Gabon you should take care to ensure the extensive risks identified are not present in your supply chains, or have been sufficiently mitigated. VIEW LESS

Description of source types

Source types describe the possible origins of a commodity from within a country. Knowing the “source type” that timber originates from is useful because different source types can be subject to different applicable legislation and have attributes that affect the risk of non-compliance with the legislation.

Source Type

Description

Forest concessions (CPAET/CFAD)

strong>Provisional management, exploitation and processing agreement (CPAET)

CPAETs are allocated for a maximum of three years, in view of a CFAD being allocated in the future. It enables the concessionaire to carry out the operations necessary to be able to draw up the management plan and industrialisation plan within the area requested. Logging operations may take place during this period.

Forest concessions under sustainable management (CFAD)

A CFAD is a title allocated to any legal or natural person for logging operations within the permanent forest domain (excluding classified state forests). It is contingent upon the wood being managed and locally processed.

The surface area of a CFAD varies between 50,000 and 200,000 hectares. The total surface area of several CFADs allocated to a single person cannot exceed 600,000 hectares.

The concessions are managed by rotation (over 20 to 30 years).

Associated forestry permit (PFA)

A PFA is a permit reserved for Gabonese nationals only. It is issued for the purpose of logging operations within the permanent forest domain (excluding classified state forests).

A PFA may be integrated into a CFAD.

The surface area of a PFA cannot exceed 15,000 hectares when it is part of a CFAD, and 50,000 hectares when it is managed by the title holder.

Permit by private agreement (PGG)

This permit is issued for the purpose of local processing to Gabonese nationals only, within the rural forest domain. It allocates a maximum of 50 trees within an area previously defined by the Water and Forests Administration. This type of permit is personal to the holder, is non-transferable and is valid for twelve (12) months from the date on which it is signed.

Logging authorisation for pitsawing (ACBSL)

Logging authorisations for pitsawing cover a maximum of 15 trees. This type of permit is personal to the holder, is non-transferable and is valid for two (2) months from the date on which it is signed.

Special logging authorisation (ASC)

A special logging authorisation (ASC) is a special permit for a maximum of five trees, equivalent to fifteen cubic metres. ASCs are only issued within the rural forest domain to natural persons of Gabonese nationality, with the aim of satisfying the needs of local village communities.

Community forest

Forests allocated by the state to a local community. Community forests are all managed under simplified management.

CPI score

28, updated 2024

Armed Conflicts

There are currently no armed conflicts in Gabon according to the Council on Foreign Relations' Global Conflict Tracker

Voluntary Partnership Agreement

VPA status: Negotiating

Certifications

FSC certified area: 2.241 Mha, updated April 1, 2023

Bans & Restrictions

A full ban on exporting logs.

Risk Species

Name	CITES I	CITES II	CITES III	IUCN Redlist	Special attention
Guibourtia demeusei

Gabon

Tree cover loss

Tree cover loss”. Accessed on 01/01/2023 from www.globalforestwatch.org. The graph shows year-by-year tree cover loss, defined as stand level replacement of vegetation greater than 5 meters in the country. Note that “tree cover loss” is not the same as “deforestation” – tree cover loss includes change in both natural and planted forest, and does not need to be human caused. The data from 2011 onward were produced with an updated methodology that may capture additional loss. Comparisons between the original 2001-2010 data and future years should be performed with caution.

Overview of mitigation options organised by source type

Source Type

Number of risks

Document verification

Stakeholder Consultation

Field Verification

Scientific Testing