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MONROVIA \u2013 Calls are mounting for the European Union (EU) to reconsider its decision to terminate a timber trade agreement with Liberia. The issue is high on the agenda as the bloc and the West African country discuss the deal this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2011, the EU and Liberia signed<\/a> the voluntary partnership agreement, known as the VPA, enabling the West African country to trade legally sourced timber on European markets. The deal was hailed globally for breaking away from Liberia\u2019s civil war era, where illegal Liberian timber flooded international markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But last month, the Head of the EU Delegation to Liberia Nona Deprez disclosed<\/a> that Brussels had notified Monrovia about its decision to terminate the deal. \u201cA formal notification to the [Liberian] government is in process,\u201d Deprez said in a letter to NGOs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now national and international forest campaigners and experts say canceling the VPA would tarnish Liberia\u2019s reputation, exacerbate illegal logging and undermine the country\u2019s combat against climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The NGO Coalition said the development was \u201cdeeply concerning, as the VPA has been instrumental in improving forest governance, curbing illegal logging and enhancing transparency in Liberia\u2019s forestry sector.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a letter last week, the group called on President Joseph Boakai to use this week\u2019s meeting to engage the EU to keep the agreement. The government has not spoken about the planned termination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe EU may cite slow progress, corruption, and illegal logging as reasons for termination, tarnishing Liberia\u2019s international image. Neighboring countries retaining their VPAs will cast Liberia in a poor light,\u201d the letter noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The EU has not cited any reasons for int<\/span>ending to terminate the 11-year agreement. However, recently, it blamed the failure to qualify for FLEGT licensing\u2014which allows countries to export timber to EU markets\u2014for terminating the VPA with Cameroon<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cameroon\u2019s scenario resembles Liberia\u2019s. Liberia has not qualified for forest law enforcement, governance and trade. Though Liberia has made some gains since the end of its bloody civil wars, it has witnessed a string of logging scandals. Last year, the Associated Press reported<\/a> that Liberia may have a \u201cparallel system\u201d to export illegal timber, citing diplomatic sources. A recent review<\/a> paints the picture of a sector marred by noncompliance and impunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apart from the tarnishing of Liberia\u2019s reputation, experts say termination could dry out millions of much-needed funding the EU provides Liberia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIdeally, development partners would continue with support to communities,\u201d said a forest governance expert who preferred anonymity, \u201cbut the question is whether such support would be as impactful without the structures and processes of the VPA in place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Arthur Blundell, an international forestry expert on Liberia, said losing the VPA would erode anti-deforestation efforts. Liberia has the largest portion of West Africa\u2019s remaining rainforests, with its protection crucial to global climate targets. \u201cLosing the EU\u2019s financial and technical assistance must make it harder to fight climate change and protect biodiversity,\u201d added Blundell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Civil unrest\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This week\u2019s meeting, which begins Tuesday and ends Thursday, is one of three events held at least once a year under the VPA. At those meetings, the Liberian government, the EU, international partners, civil society and communities discuss governance and transparency. Campaigners and experts say that civil space would be lost with the VPA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf this happens, so many of the gains that have been made over the years, in terms of strengthened government accountability for better forest management and distribution of benefits, will be undermined,\u201d said the forest governance expert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt will become less representative,\u201d added Blundell. \u201cThese groups suffer the most if the fight is lost. The loss of the VPA process will make their representation more difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The NGO Coalition believes the VPA\u2019s absence could also undermine Liberian laws that guarantee communities\u2019 rights and increase illegal logging. Warned the group: \u201cWithout it, enforcement could weaken, leading to social unrest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n News of the termination comes as the EU published its Strategic Framework for International Cooperation Engagement on Deforestation<\/a>, as it delayed<\/a> the implementation of a new deforestation regulation. The Framework paves the way for the regulation’s implementation, proposing stricter requirements for countries to export to the EU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stage.thedaylight.org\/wp68\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_8725-1024x683.jpg\")