Gabon to ban undressed timber exports

10 November, 2009

Exports of undressed timber will be halted by Gabon next year in a bid to drive the development of value-added products, according to a statement from the country’s government.

Gabon is a big producer of okoumé for plywood, as well as padouk, moabi, azobé, iroko and movingui. Okoumé production stands at about 1.25 million m³, the vast majority of which is exported.

Changes to the country’s forest code are also being targeted by the new government led by prime minister Ali Ben Bongo.