Ghana Breaks New Ground in Forest Governance: Issues Africa’s First Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Timber Licence

Ghana today officially launches the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licence, making it the first African country and the second globally after Indonesia to issue this licence. This historic milestone solidifies Ghana’s leadership in sustainable forest governance and legal timber trade.

The launching ceremony follows the successful go-live of Ghana’s FLEGT license system on Friday, August 15 2025, marking the beginning of verified, legal timber exports.

The launch marks the culmination of about 16 years of reform, collaboration and investment across Ghana’s forest sector, including the ratification of 131 Timber Utilisation Contracts (TUCs) by Parliament last month, the final regulatory hurdle that cleared the way for implementation.

A FLEGT licence certifies that timber and timber-related products exported to the European Union (EU) are legally harvested and processed in accordance with Ghanaian laws. Products covered by a valid licence automatically comply with the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), ensuring seamless access to the EU market while eliminating the risk of illegal timber trade.

More than 350 industry operators have been trained in the licensing process, ensuring smooth transactions for international buyers.

This major roll out also positions Ghana to meet broader international obligations, including compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation and commitments under global climate change frameworks. It further affirms Ghana’s readiness to supply FLEGT-licensed timber to the EU, eliminating additional due diligence for buyers and strengthening Ghana’s position as a frontrunner in sustainable forest governance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Delegation of the European Union to Ghana.