After a report exposed Cameroon’s shadowy oil deals with some Swiss companies, Greenpeace Africa‘s also revealed that large quantities of wood extracted from forest "conversion" projects are reaching international markets illegally, in full knowledge of Cameroon’s Ministry of Forestry (MINFOF) and the European Union (EU).

Greenpeace, an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment said in a press release on August 20 that the failure to fully monitor and regulate timber from such projects is undermining international agreements Cameroon has with bodies such as the EU.

Greenpeace Africa said it has evidence that Uniprovince, a company owned by US agribusiness company Herakles Farms, has cut at least 10,000 m3 of commercially valuable wood. While official documents from the port of Douala show that a shipment of over 3000 m3 has already left Douala for the Chinese port of Zhangjiagang.

The organisation pursue that the Herakles Farms project in Cameroon’s South West region has proved highly controversial since its announcement in 2009 and attracted the opposition of local residents, civil society and international NGOs who say it threatens an area of important biodiversity value and the livelihoods of communities who live there.

“Sadly it comes as no surprise to Greenpeace Africa to see this wood find its way to China despite all the evidence of its illegality” the release quoted Irène Wabiwa, Forest Campaign Manager.

In a report published last May, Licence to Launder, Greenpeace Africa documented how Uniprovince obtained a Vente de coupe permit to log without public auction, in violation of Cameroonian law.

“Three different Cameroonian state prosecutors were given information proving Uniprovince's illegal logging operations, but no action has been taken to our knowledge,” explains Wabiwa. “The Cameroon's Ministry of Forestry and the EU, in charge of the implementation of the FLEGT Partnership Agreement, were also repeatedly informed, but unfortunately, it did not prevent the wood from being exported.”

Whereas Cameroon made a commitment to verify the legality of all timber and derived products covered by the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) agreement; whether these are sold on the internal markets, exported to the EU or to markets outside the EU.

The Greenpeace Africa releases further stated that: “A large proportion of wood from Cameroon's Vente de coupe logging operations is destined to China via the port of Zhangjiagang, taking advantage of the fact that the country doesn't yet have legislation in place to prevent the imports of illegal wood.