The Gambia’s Exports of Rosewood

MARCH 2014 WHER IS THE GAMBIA? Where is The Gambia found? The Gambia & its forest resources

 Country only has 50% original forest cover remaining  Of the 50% remaining, 70% is described as ‘degraded’ (FAO, FRA 2010)  Logs do not originate in The Gambia  These trees grow in Senegal and are smuggled over the border to The Gambia for re-export So where do the logs originate? Senegalese Forest Law

 The export of logs is banned under the Senegalese law  Therefore 100% of the logs that enter The Gambia from Senegal are illegal  95% or more of the logs entering The Gambia from Senegal are considered ‘Conflict Timber’ by the Senegalese state Africa and the rise in the rosewood market

 2009 China recoded 19,753 m3 imports of rosewood in total from ‘Africa’  2012 this had risen to 431,223 m3 of rosewood (logs and sawn) from ‘Africa’  In 2012 ‘Africa’ as a source continent represented 60% of total import of rosewood to China  In 2012 The Gambia alone accounted for 31% of this total Shows the Dominance of ‘The Gambian’ Exports Amongst other West African Supply Countries

350

300 Guangdong Rest of China 250

200 Volume

150 (thousand cubicmetres)

during year during year ("yt") to date shown 100

50

0 yt 31 12 2005 12 31 yt 2006 06 30 yt 2006 12 31 yt 2007 06 30 yt 2007 12 31 yt 2008 06 30 yt 2008 12 31 yt 2009 06 30 yt 2009 12 31 yt 2010 06 30 yt 2010 12 31 yt 2011 06 30 yt 2011 12 31 yt 2012 06 30 yt 2012 12 31 yt 2012 06 30 yt 2012 12 31 yt 6May 7May 8May Shanghai 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 6Feb 6Aug 7Feb 7Aug 8Feb 8Aug

Gambia Ghana Benin Togo Other West Africa

*Figures to be confirmed with collation sources as the graph shows so discrepancies Source countries in West Africa that supply rosewood

450 400 350 Customs districts in Other Guangdong province customs districts 300 250 ") ") date shown

yt 200

Volume 150 100 50 (thousand cubic metres) 0 yt 31 12 2009 12 yt 31 2010 06 yt 30 2010 12 yt 31 2012 06 yt 30 2012 12 yt 31 2013 06 yt 30 2013 12 yt 31 2009 12 yt 31 2010 06 yt 30 2010 12 yt 31 2012 06 yt 30 2012 12 yt 31 2013 06 yt 30 2013 12 yt 31 yt 30 06 201106 yt 30 201112 yt 31 201106 yt 30 201112 yt 31 during year during year to ("

Others Togo Ivory Coast Ghana Gambia Benin

Source: Based on General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (2014) Amounts imported to China from The Gambia

Year Import Volume China Import Value China (m3) (USD $) 2010 6,734 2,871,421

2011 54,222 24,952,099

2012 134,572 71,109,243

2013 121,938 66,665,881

Prior to 2010 China recorded NO imports from The Gambia and The Gambia showed no exports either to China Total volume of rosewood imported per annum expressed as the average number of 20ft container per day (33 m3)

 2013 – 9 per day

 2012 – 10 per day

 2011 – 4 per day

 2010 – 1 per day Export Volumes

 In a 4 year period the exports have gone from 0 m3 to 317,466 m3 in total from The Gambia

 However it estimated that 99% of these logs exported to China do not originate in The Gambia Log Ban in The Gambia

 In November 2012 the government of The Gambia banned the exportation of rosewood from The Gambia  This ban is still in place in the country and all pervious traders have had their export licences voided  However rosewood logs continue to come to China from The Gambia after November 2012  In 2013 only 9% less than in 2012 when there was no ban in place Processing & Export ready sites Logs awaiting for the export ban to be liftted Senegal’s Control

 Senegal tries to control the illegal trade in forest products  However in an unstable and impoverished region this is near impossible  They have ceased articles belonging directly to the President of The Gambia involved in rosewood harvesting CONCLUSION

 All of the rosewood logs that are exported from The Gambia can be classified as ‘illegal logs’  At least 95% of the exports to date in addition can be classified as ‘conflict timber’  The vast majority of logs that have been “exported” from Senegal to The Gambia and then onto China in this 4 year period have been sold directly from the MFDC rebels to traders inside The Gambia, who supply the export market. CONCLUSION (Fin.)

• For Senegal this problem can only have a chance of being solved if a solution is found that can be implemented inside their borders, or in a trans boundary forest management program ‘Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Gambia). • The Gambia for them is a non-issue when talking about solutions to the rosewood exports. • Help is needed from China’s side to ban illegal/conflict?? rosewood imports into China • China can also develop a forest management program for the production of legal timber for the Chine’s market • China can develop a capacity building program for rosewood furniture manufacture facility THANKS