Ghana’s milestone as the first African country to export timber and timber products to the European Union (EU) markets under the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licensing regime has been celebrated as a blueprint for forest stewardship and sustainable environmental protection for Africa and the rest of the world.
After making history as the second country in the world to enter the EU market with timber under the new FLEGT licence regime, many countries can now turn to Ghana for useful lessons on how to achieve a similar feat.
At an exhibition held in Brussels, Belgium, last week, Ghanaian exporters exchanged FLEGT licence with Belgian importers and shared experiences with other stakeholders across the world.
The ceremony marked a symbolic landmark achievement in the legal and sustainable timber trade between Africa and Europe.
The FLEGT celebration featured a private sector exhibition, where Ghanaian companies, including Samartex Timber and Plywood Co. Ltd., Tekura Designs Ltd., Logs and Lumber Ltd. and Miro Forestry Ghana Ltd., displayed secondary and tertiary wood products.
The Ghanaian delegation, which included officials of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Forestry Commission and representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), met with some members of the European Parliament in a multi-stakeholder discussion to share insights from Ghana’s FLEGT journey.
The discussions centred on the success story of Ghana’s Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA); tackling illegal logging through enhanced partnership and verifying timber legality.
Context
FLEGT licence, which is also known as the timber legality licence, is a document issued by timber-producing countries that have ratified a voluntary partnership agreement (VPA) with the EU.
On August 15, 2025, Ghana officially began issuing FLEGT licences, marking a historic milestone in the country’s journey toward legal and sustainable timber trade. By that feat, Ghana became the first African country and the second in the world, after Indonesia, to issue the licences.
This achievement marked a historic milestone in Ghana’s commitment to sustainable forest governance and the promotion of a legal timber trade. The FLEGT initiative was established by a partnership between the Government of Ghana and the EU to fight illegal logging and promote trade in legally harvested timber and timber products.
Ghana’s commitment
In a speech delivered by the Chairman of the Forestry Commission Board, Prof. Martin Oteng-Ababio, on behalf of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, he said the entry of legal timber under FLEGT licence into the European Union market was a testament to the commitment to sustainable management of the country’s forest resources.
“It is a reaffirmation that partnership works; that patience pays; and that political will—sustained over time, can turn vision into reality,” he stressed.
The minister underscored the need for stakeholders in the timber industry to be inspired by the milestone and strive to work together for their mutual benefit.
The Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Dr Hugh Brown, said the FLEGT licence regime had helped to establish a robust system for the sustainable management of timber resources and protection of the forest from destruction.
“Today, our Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS) integrates data from across the entire forestry value chain, linking forest management, transportation, processing and trade on a single cohesive digital platform.
This system has not only improved transparency but has empowered us to make decisions based on evidence, respond to challenges in real time and plan more strategically for long-term sustainability,” he added.
Dr Brown said it was on the basis of that system that he could assure the world that a FLEGT licence from Ghana was a firm assurance of timber from legally verified sources and responsibly managed forests.
Ghana’s Ambassador to Belgium and the EU, Henry Tachie-Menson, said it was refreshing that after over 16 years of following rigorous processes, Ghana had finally entered the EU market with timber under the new licensing regime.
He said the roll out of the FLEGT licence regime would ensure sustainable management of timber and forest resources, protect the environment, and respond to the needs of the inhabitants of forest areas.
Special document
The Director for Africa at the Directorate-General for International Partnerships at the European Commission, Geza Strammer, described the FLEGT licence as a document that would bridge the gap between Ghanaian timber exporters and EU buyers.
“The FLEGT licence is a piece of paper passing from a Ghanaian exporter to a European importer; but as everyone knows, this is no ordinary piece of paper.
It is a forest law enforcement, governance, and trade licence; a document 15 years in the making; the product of dedication, partnership and trust between Ghana and the European Union,” he said.
The co-founder of the European Timber Trade Federation, Armand Stockmans, spoke highly of the quality of timber from Ghana and said the FLEGT licence regime would facilitate timber export.
Mr Stockmans, who has been a buyer of Ghanaian timber for over 40 years, said he was confident that the country would play to the rules of the new licensing regime.
