Central African Republic
Articles 32, 33 and 36 of Central Africa’s Forestry Code imply that a logging concession becomes invalid if, within three years from being granted, at least 60% of the logs extracted from that concession are not milled locally (70% from 2008)[Box 1.2] and the concessionaire is not adhering to a credible plan for the sustainable management of the concession. Consequently, given that logs account for most of CAR's timber exports, most of those timber exports are probably illegal. Some of the concessions do have credible management plans, but only some of these are being implemented.[43]

Production (predominantly for export) has risen strongly in the last couple of years - to record levels (0.6mi cu.m./year). This seems to conflict with the intent of the law, which grants logging concessions in perpetuity - presumably to encourage sustainable forest management. One small local company is pioneering SFM, albeit in a different forest region to that in which the bulk of logging activity takes place.

Whereas export statistics indicate that France is the leading destination of timber (primarily logs, the export of which is illegal unless certain requirements have been met) from CAR, import statistics suggest that it is not. Possible explanations of the discrepancy include fraud and the processing of the logs in Cameroon prior to export to France as sawn wood from Cameroon.

SGS has had contracts with each of the governments of CAR and Cameroon to monitor timber exports. Bureau Veritas (as BIVAC) has one in CAR.

Further information:
"Blood Timber". Global Witness. (2015).