Cameroon has suspended the logging rights of 23 operators for failing to comply with the legal and regulatory framework. The suspensions, outlined in a letter issued by the Minister for Forests and Wildlife on 7 November 2016, will last six months. The infractions include unauthorised logging, fraudulent use of documents and failure to comply with contractual obligations linked to the contract or with technical operating standards.
Two community forestry groups also face six month bans.The suspensions are the latest in Cameroon’s growing efforts to tackle illegality in the forest sector.
In the first quarter of 2016, Cameroon suspended the licences of four logging companies, issued 35 other companies with warning notices and generated 54.2 million FCFA (82.6 million euros) in fines related to illegal activities in the forest sector.
