Ghana is poised to become the first African country and only the second in the world to issue a Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) License by June 30, 2025, according to Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.
He made the announcement on April 25 during a courtesy call by the European Union Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Irchad Razaaly, highlighting Ghana’s commitment to deepening its partnership with the European Union in sustainable forest governance.
The milestone follows years of progress under the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), ratified in 2009. The only remaining step, according to the Minister, is the ratification of a second batch of Timber Utilization Contracts (TUCs), which Parliament is expected to address after the Easter break.
“The systems are ready. All that remains is parliamentary approval, and Ghana will make history,” Buah affirmed.
He praised the EU’s role in Ghana’s trade, noting it accounted for about 14% of Ghana’s trade volume in 2022, and emphasized areas for deeper collaboration. These include investment in logistics, capacity building, and technology to strengthen the Wood Tracking System (WTS) and the Ghana Legality Assurance System (GhLAS).
Buah also called on the EU to support Ghana’s Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative, develop commercial forest plantations, and aid efforts to combat illegal mining, restore degraded lands, and modernize the timber industry.
Finally, he appealed for climate financing to sustain Ghana’s forest resources and thanked the EU for its ongoing support, expressing hope for an even stronger partnership moving forward.
