Maroc - TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - 25/Sep 00:54

Vietnam strengthens customs and rangers to combat illegal timber

Front-line law enforcement officers from across Vietnam have received specialised timber legality training, critical to Vietnam’s efforts to promote sustainable forest management and combat illegal timber trade. Source: Timberbiz Vietnam is a major importer and exporter of timber products. Much of the timber is sourced via cargo shipment from Africa, particularly from the Congo Basin, where uncontrolled deforestation is a major problem. This situation jeopardises Vietnam’s timber industry and challenges frontline officers who, due to limited capacity and knowledge, struggle to verify timber species, origins, and documentation in order to ensure legality. To address these challenges, TRAFFIC, the Department of Forestry, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) organised a series of training courses in Quang Tri, Ba Ria Vung Tau, Dong Nai, and Gia Lai, reaching 123 officials from Vietnam Customs, Forest Protection Department, and Environmental Police, across 21 provinces. The curriculum focused on enhancing skills in assessing and verifying legal compliance related to imported timber, covering the following topics: International and Vietnamese regulations on timber legality Due diligence in managing imported timber Controlling high-risk species and timber identification methods Traceability tools to verify timber species along the supply chain Use of a new wood identification tool in development by TRAFFIC. This training series came at a critical time, as Vietnam works to implement its commitments under the Vietnam-EU Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT) signed in 2019, which requires robust systems to ensure the legality of all timber in Viet Nam’s supply chain, making the enhanced capabilities of front-line officers even more crucial. Linh Nguyen, Project Manager at TRAFFIC, expressed optimism about the program’s impacts. “The high pass rate and positive feedback from participants indicate that we have made substantial progress in equipping our officials with the necessary tools to combat illegal timber trade. It represents a crucial step in Vietnam’s ongoing efforts to promote sustainable forest management,” he said. This comprehensive training initiative marks a significant milestone in Vietnam’s commitment to combating illegal timber trade and ensuring the sustainability of its timber industry. By enhancing the skills and knowledge of its front-line officers, Vietnam is taking proactive steps to protect its forests, support legal trade, and contribute to global efforts in forest conservation.