Brazzaville, Congo, May 7--The Congo Republic is to resume exports of afrormosia hardwood to the European Union, officials said Friday, after the EU suspended imports for several months amid concerns that excessive lumbering would drive the trees to extinction.
The EU suspended imports of afrormosia, which grows only in three countries of western and central Africa--Cameroon, Congo and its vast neighbour to the east, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)--to force the governments to put in place a replanting program for the tree.
"With the help of the International Association of Tropical Wood, we supplied a technical document outlining our forest management strategy and plans," said the head of the forestry department at Congo's environment ministry, Jacques Nkanwe.
"The EU therefore authorized the resumption of Congo's exports of afrormosia to EU member states," he said.
Import suspensions imposed on Cameroon and DRC were lifted earlier, after both countries supplied documents outlining their programs to protect the hardwood.
Afrormosia, or African teak, is on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II, which lists species that are not necessarily now threatened with extinction but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled.
Congo produces 9,000 cubic meters a year of afrormosia, or nearly half the total 21,000 cubic meters produced with Cameroon and DRC in 2003. Congo's afrormosia is grown in Sangha province, on the border with Cameroon.
Timber is Congo's second biggest export revenue earner, although far behind oil, which accounts for around 70 percent of the country's annual budget. Two-thirds of the central African country is covered in tropical forest.
Hardwearing and highly resistant to termite attack, afrormosia is used in boat building, joinery, hardwood flooring, decorative veneers, and furniture making.
