(Business in Cameroon) - From 2016 to 2019, reports of illegal logging made through the ISO 9001-2015 certified Standard External Independent Observation System (SNOIE) helped the Cameroonian Ministry of Forests and Wildlife generate a surplus of XAF72.5 million of forest revenues.

"This amount was obtained by adding up fines imposed on illegal forest operators and the proceedings from the public auctions of illegally-cut timber seized following denunciations made by civil society organisations (...), as part of their external independent observation (OIE) activities," the SNOIE explains in an information note.

The said auctions took place following forest control missions triggered by five denunciation reports transmitted by SNOIE coordination to the ministry of forests and wildlife (two reports transmitted in 2016, one in 2018 and two others in 2019).

The reported forest irregularities were observed in Logbii, Bandevouri, Ngoum, Ina, Manja, Wassaba, Oue and their surroundings, as well as in Bifa'a and their surroundings.

The development and deployment of certified SNOIE in Cameroon and its extension to Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were carried out with the financial support of the European Union, FAO (through the FAO-EU-Flegt programme), the Department for International Development (DFID), Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) as well as the Centre for International Development and Training and its partners.

S.A.