FAO-EU FLEGT Programme: Sustainable forestry work sees successes despite COVID-19 impact
Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, 88 percent of all sustainable forestry projects supported by the FAO-EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Programme in its Phase III have been successfully delivered by national partners. This was one of the results presented during the FLEGT Steering Committee at its 18th meeting to discuss the progress, challenges and activities of the programme and look ahead to its priorities for 2021.
Director of the FAO Forestry Division, Mette Wilkie, highlighted how the FAO-EU FLEGT programme has been a critical backbone of support to partner countries and international stakeholders to help them in continuing their efforts to strengthen forest governance and establish sustainable practices in the sector. Participants stressed the pivotal role of the programme and its results in boosting collective tenure rights, sustainable forestry management, climate change adaptation, biodiversity protection and support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as its overall contribution to poverty alleviation in partner countries.
The FAO-EU FLEGT programme seeks to reduce illegal logging by strengthening sustainable forest management, improving governance, and promoting trade in legally produced timber with the support of the European Union, the Government of Sweden and the Government of the United Kingdom.
During its first two phases, the FAO-EU FLEGT Programme provided technical support and resources to more than 200 projects in nearly 40 countries. In 2016, the Programme was extended for a third phase to continue through 2021, with committed contributions from the European Union (EU), UK (DFID), Sweden (SIDA), and FAO.