Africa Center for Strategic Studies

• African countries are estimated to lose US$17 billion each year to illegal logging.
• Illegal logging is most prevalent in the continent’s tropical rainforests.
• Illegal logging has negative environmental effects that weaken human security.
• Firstly, illegal logging amplifies threats posed by organised criminal groups and violent extremist organisations.

The knock-on effects

• It identifies and tracks criminal networks, state-embedded actors, foreign actors and “mafia-style” armed groups that are locally well known and that control territory.
• The work of these groups has several knock-on effects.
• Violent extremism and insurgency: The illicit timber trade fuels conflict and instability by providing resources for violent actors.
• In Senegal, the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance recently funded its insurgency through the illicit logging of rosewood.

Solutions

• Guinea-Bissau, the DRC and Kenya have controversially ended moratoria on logging.
• It’s easy to get around a moratorium when state security and justice systems do not operate transparently.
• A moratorium can even harden criminal networks without addressing the corruption and livelihood challenges that facilitate illegal logging.
• The Kenya Forestry Service is pioneering an app for officers to use satellite data in community-based initiatives.

Bridging gaps

• For example, in Gabon, civil society has pressured the government for greater transparency in logging contracts.
• Civil society also builds economic resilience to illegal logging.
• In Tanzania and the DRC, civil society has enhanced community control over land management and made legal livelihoods in the logging sector more feasible.

Key takeaways

• External oversight is a key part of countering illegal logging.
• It works best where civil society is strong.
• Inspectors general, specialised prosecutors and independent anti-corruption bodies can help expose the kingpins organising illegal operations.

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