A step forward has been made in promoting African timber and forest management with the creation of the Pan African Forest Certification Gabon (PAFC) association.

The development, which took place at a conference in Gabon during October, will enable the African Timber Organisation/International Tropical Timber Organisation‘s principles, criteria and indicators (PCIs) to become the reference point when establishing forest management plans in the country.

It will also allow the PCIs to be the anchor point for international recognition by the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC). Recognition will help promote forest management in Gabon and Africa, plus help access to international timber product markets.

Gabon forestry minister Emile Doumba said PEFC approval provided an opportunity for worldwide promotion of PAFC and the ATO/ITTO PCIs.

PEFC’s board of directors has recommended the PCIs be adopted as a reference base for evaluation of national certification systems in Africa.

Interafrican Forest Industries Association secretary-general Jean Jacques Landrot said the Forest Stewardship Council‘s certification system and the ATO/ITTO PCIs were comparable, saying there was no need for a “war” between the different schemes for African forest products.