REM Rapport Annuel No. 1 OIF Congo Brazzaville - Forests Monitor

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 4
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 6
1. RESULTS ........................................................................................................................ 7
1.1. Observations on Forest Administration Operations ........................................................ 7
1.1.1. Opening of VPA Negotiations as Part of the FLEGT Process .......................... 7
1.1.2. National DDEF Conference ............................................................................... 7
1.1.3. Adoption of the 2008 Forest Fund Budget ........................................................ 8
1.1.4. Coverage Rate and Organisation of Forest Administration Law Enforcement
Missions ......................................................................................................................... 10
1.1.5. Management Plan Elaboration and Implementation ........................................ 12
1.1.6. Implementation of Surveillance and Anti-Poaching Units .............................. 13
1.2. Forest Area Allocation Procedures .................................................................................. 13
1.2.1. The Enyellé Ibenga Forest Unit Allocation Process ........................................ 13
1.2.2. Conditions under which the Mambili MFU Was Re-Sized ............................. 21
1.2.3. The Process of transferring the Cotovindou FEU to the SICOFOR Company23
1.3. REM Mission Results: Monitoring of Logging Companies ........................................... 25
1.3.1. Tardy Submission of Annual Logging Permit Application Dossiers .............. 25
1.3.2. Lack of Markings and Poor Keeping of Field Documents .............................. 26
1.3.3. Non-Payment of Forest Taxes and Fines ......................................................... 26
1.3.4. Failure to Fulfil Contractual Obligations on Time .......................................... 27
1.3.5. Other Observations .......................................................................................... 28
1.4. REM Mission Results: Monitoring of MEF Services and Agents ................................. 29
1.4.1. Document Availability ..................................................................................... 29
1.4.2. Litigation Follow-Up and Management ........................................................... 30
1.4.3. Logging Permit Allocation Conditions ............................................................ 33
2. IM-FLEG IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................. 35
2.1. Institutional Aspects and Communication Among the Parties ..................................... 35
2.2. Completion of Field Missions and Publication of Reports ............................................. 35
2.2.1. Mission Organisation and Completion ............................................................ 35
2.2.2. Reading Committee Meetings and Mission Report Validation ....................... 38
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................. 41
APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................ 46
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