Ghana has officially launched the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licence, becoming the first African country and only the second in the world after Indonesia to issue this certification. The launch follows the go-live of Ghana’s FLEGT licensing system on August 15, 2025, paving the way for the export of verified legal timber. This milestone reflects Ghana’s commitment to sustainable forest governance and the legal timber trade.
The achievement comes after 16 years of reforms, collaboration, and investments within the forest sector. A key step was the ratification of 131 Timber Utilisation Contracts (TUCs) by Parliament last month, which removed the final regulatory barrier to implementation. The licensing system is designed to ensure that timber exports meet the highest legal and sustainability standards.
A FLEGT licence certifies that timber and timber-related products exported to the European Union are harvested and processed legally under Ghanaian laws. This guarantees automatic compliance with the EU Timber Regulation, providing exporters with seamless access to the EU market and removing the risk of illegal timber trade. To date, more than 350 industry operators have been trained in the licensing process, helping facilitate smooth international transactions.
The roll-out also positions Ghana to meet broader global commitments, including the EU Deforestation Regulation and international climate change frameworks. By supplying FLEGT-licensed timber, Ghana strengthens its role as a global leader in sustainable forest management while offering international buyers greater assurance and efficiency in timber trade.
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