Chinese NGO and Myanmar Forestry Ministry Sign Agreement to Combat Illicit Timber Trade

NAYPIDAW (Nov. 20, 2014) – The Chinese NGO, the Global Environmental Institute (GEI), and Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry signed a cooperation agreement in Naypyidaw, the capital city of Myanmar, marking the beginning of the forestry cooperation project between the two parties.

Top: GEI’s Mme JIN Jiaman (third from right), JI Lin (second from right) and CAO Sirui (far right) stand with Myanmar delegation; Bottom: Mme Jin signs the agreement with the Myanmar’s MoECAF. – GEI 2014

Prior to the signing event, GEI and the Ministry reached consensus on the details of the project launch meeting including the time, agenda and invitation list. This GEI project, the full name of which is Facilitating China-Myanmar Joint Actions to Combat Illegal Timber Trade, is being funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and US blue moon fund.

GEI will lead the two-and-a-half year project in cooperation with the Chinese Academy of Forestry.

The aim of the project is to curb illegal timber trade activities across China-Myanmar border areas in order to conserve the local environment through a range of activities, including enhancing the capacity of Chinese customs officials to identify illegal timber, researching and developing Myanmar country specific guidelines on forestry investment and related incentive measures, establishing value-added wood processing industrial zones in Myanmar and China-Myanmar bilateral timber legality verification systems, and encouraging responsible investment by Chinese timber companies in Myanmar.

To achieve environmental as well as economic and social win-win scenarios, the project will also facilitate exchanges and cooperation between timber and forestry companies in China and Myanmar, to stimulate the upgrade of Myanmar’s wood processing industry, thus increase local employment and added value.