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23 Oct 2020
Project

Developing background analyses for Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) support project in Cameroon, Laos and Vietnam

The Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has commissioned Preferred by Nature to provide background analyses of timber trade for ten main supplier countries to Vietnam.

Objectives

The overall strategy to achieve the objectives of the background analysis is to secure reliable and up-to-date timber trade data from Vietnam, Laos and Cameroon, to allow an efficient trade discrepancy analysis, as well as information on legal frameworks as relevant to the development of chapter two. This project aims to:

  • Support VPA processes through contributing to sustainable management of timber supplying forests, strengthened legal compliance and rule of law in Vietnam, Laos and Cameroon
  • Provide country stakeholders from government, private sector and civil society in Vietnam, Laos and Cameroon with the most relevant information needed to improve legality of the supply chain between the countries.
Timber

About the project 

In 2018, the Government of Vietnam has signed a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union on Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT). The agreement indicates that the Government of Vietnam is supporting legal timber supply chains – both import and export.

It is worth noting that both import and export discrepancies have long been used as an important indicator of illegal timber. The trade discrepancy analysis involves calculating roundwood equivalent volumes (RWE) of imports and exports and values for each country’s trade with Vietnam from official import data (for timber products, wood furniture, and pulp and paper).

To support legal timber supply chains in countries supplying timber to Vietnam, stakeholders in Vietnam importing timber from supplier country need access to information on the legality requirements for timber and wood products.

The government, private sector and civil society partners in Vietnam are supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH during implementation of their FLEGT VPA. BMZ’s support in Vietnam is provided through the GIZ programme on conservation and sustainable use of forest biodiversity and ecosystem services (Forest-Biodiversity Project). 

In the specific context of Vietnam, the development of a timber legality assurance system (VNTLAS) needs to pay special attention to the high south-south timber trade and supply chains. This aspect is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in cooperation with the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Through its Forest Governance Markets and Climate Programme (FGMC) DFID has co-commissioned this project “Support to VPA processes in Vietnam, Laos and Cameroon – towards legal timber supply chains between VPA countries” to the GIZ Sector Project International Forest Policy (SV IWP).   

For this project, GIZ has commissioned Preferred by Nature (formerly known as NEPCon) to provide a background analyses of timber trade with Vietnam.

The data collected for an overview of current trade of Vietnam with 10 supplier countries, as well as the overview of legal requirements for timber harvesting, processing and trade, are key to secure a credible and detailed analysis of challenges and opportunities, as well as defining clear and relevant recommendations.

Project activities

The reports cover the following:

1Overview of current trade of Vietnam with Laos and Vietnam with Cameroon
2Overview of legal requirements for timber harvesting, processing and trade
3Analysis of potential challenges and opportunities for verification of legal compliance along the supply chains to Vietnam
sample

Deliverables/Output 

Under this project risk assessments for the following countries were developed (see below). These risk assessments are in the process of being further improved and updated as needed. Please follow the links below to the Sourcing Hub, where links are provided. Final updating should be completed in autumn 2021.

Angola Risk AssessmentDocument Guide 
CambodiaRisk Assessment Document Guide
Cameroon Risk Assessment (English and French) Document Guide (English and French)
Republic of CongoRisk Assessment (English and French) Document Guide (English and French)
Democratic Republic of Congo Risk Assessment (English and French) Document Guide (English and French)
Equatorial GuineaRisk Assessment Document Guide
GabonRisk Assessment  (French) Document Guide (French) 
GhanaRisk Assessment Document Guide
LaosRisk Assessment Document Guide
Nigeria Risk Assessment Document Guide

The background analyses for VPA support project in Cameroon, Laos and Vietnam is available here.

The analysis, results and recommendations in all reports represent the opinion of the author(s) and are not necessarily representative of the position of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.   

The Risk Assessments have been produced for educational and informational purposes only. We are not liable for any reliance placed on this document, or any financial or other loss caused as a result of reliance on information contained herein. The information contained in the Risk Assessment is accurate, to the best of Preferred by Nature’s knowledge, as of the publication date. 

Note that these Risk Assessments will be shared for comments during a second public consultation and that we will improve them also according to Preferred by Nature procedures. The final Risk Assessments and Document Guides will be published on the Sourcing Hub. 
 

Project Details:

Title

Background Analysis for VPA Support Project in Cameroon, Laos and Vietnam
Year
2019-2020
Location
Vietnam
Funded by
Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Budget
EUR 110,000.00
Contact person
Christian Sloth
Director, Sustainability Programme
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