Perspectives of the African Union Commission on Sustainable Forest Management

1. Perspectives of the African Union Commission on Sustainable Forest Management I

2. Introduction The vision of the African Union is to achieve an integrated, prosperous, equitable, well governed and peaceful United States of Africa, driven and effectively managed by its own citizens and representing a creative and dynamic force in the international arena. To strengthen its mandate and to address weaknesses and threats as well as to take advantage of opportunities, the AUC has designed a Strategic Plan for 2009-2012 which will be implemented through four strategic Pillars, which are:

3. 1. Peace and Security; 2. Development, Integration and Cooperation; 3. Shared Values; 4. Institution and Capacity Building.

4. The role of sustainable forest management in attaining the objectives of the above Strategic pillars: • 1.Under Peace and Security, Africa seeks to eliminate ongoing conflicts, prevent occurrence of new ones as well as prevent a relapse to conflict by States recovering from conflict on the continent by addressing factors that cause conflict. • This pillar is also aimed at preventing, managing and resolving conflicts as a necessary condition for development and integration. Continental stability and security is a prerequisite for the development and integration of Africa.

5. Forest resources are often used to finance wars and conflicts; • Wars and conflicts in turn encourage unsustainable forest utilization as both governments and rebel groups use the forest to finance their wars • Communities displaced by conflicts find residence in the forests thus causing further forest destruction

6. Contd • Wars and conflicts undermine institutional capacities needed at the national levels for sustainable forest management • Forest cover provides sanctuaries for secession movements • Inequity in access to and ownership of forest resources are quite often the underlining factors for conflicts in Africa ( Somalia, Darfur, etc)

7. . 2 . On Development, Integration and Cooperation, Africa seeks a clear path to attaining middle-income status by Member States and a clear roadmap towards political, economic, social and cultural continental integration. Under this pillar, achieving sufficient global and regional cooperation for sustainable development and integration; and achieving sustainable human and social development by reducing poverty and inequalities are key objectives.

8. Forest lands form the bases for sustainable agriculture for the resource-poor farmers • Sustainable forest management is a business which generates wealth, income and jobs both at national and community levels; • Forest biodiversity provides food and medicinal services to many forest dependent communities; • Forest resources form an important element of inter-state trade; • Harmonization of forest policies and regulations would contribute to the eventual integration of Africa; • Inter-state collaboration on forest resources management enhances relationsiph between countries ( Gola Project for instance) • Forest resource management forms an integral part of traditional and cultural knowledge of the local communities

9. On Shared Values, Africa seeks to promote existing and • agreed-upon shared values across the continent at individual, • national, regional and international levels. These values • include good governance, democracy, respect for human • rights,accountability and transparency.

10. What role has sustainable forest management here? • Sustainable forest management promotes transparency and accountability at all levels, • Sustainable forest management promotes good governance e.g. community forestry, empowering people to be responsible for their forest resources • Promotes private participation in forest management • It promotes decentralization of authority over forest resources • Respecting people’s rights to their traditional forests is form of human rights

11. 4. Under Institution and Capacity Building, the leadership of the Commission pursues synergy and collaboration among Member States, RECs and AU organs towards AU's integration agenda. This workshop hopes to contribute to these objectives through:

12. Enhancing collaboration among Member States on forest management; • Sharing experiences on good practices; and • Enforces the link between the AU Commission and Member States, Regional and Sub-regional institution.