Tanzania, Zambia agreed to curb illegal logging

Tanzania and Zambia on Friday agreed to join forces in controlling illegal logging in border posts as one way of protecting forest reserves in the two countries.

Tanzania's Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Maj. Gen. Gaudence Milanzi and his counterpart, Zambia's Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, Trevor Kaunda, signed the pact in Dar es Salaam on behalf of their governments.

The signing event came after a three-day meeting involving high-ranking officials from the two countries whereby Tanzania was represented by Tanzania Revenue Authority, Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Tanzania Forestry Services Agency (TFS).

Speaking soon after signing the pact Maj. Gen. Milanzi said the move will address current challenges facing the forestry sector including wantonly tree felling.

"The agreement will also strengthen management of forest transportation between the two nations."

Between November last year and May this year, 56 containers loaded with logs from Zambia and 47 containers from the Democratic Republic of Congo have been seized and they are at the Dar es Salaam Port.

Maj. Gen. Milanzi called upon people who are behind illegal transportation of logs to find another job as Tanzania's government has tightened security on the matter in all the border posts.

According to the official, Tanzania is losing thousands of hectares because of illegal business of forest products including logs.

It's estimated that Illegal logging gangs in Tanzania are smuggling hundreds of tonnes of trees every month and driving some species to the brink of local extinction.

Zambia's PS Trevor expressed his optimism over the new pact, saying it will bring positive impact on forest conservation and management between the two countries.

Trevor said: "This is a good start. We're going to collaborate in controlling illegal transport at the Tunduma Border, the main entrance of logs from Zambia to Dar es Salaam on the way to overseas.

Tanzania has 35 million hectares (82 million acres) of forests and woodland but has been losing more than 400,000 hectares of forest each year for two decades, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's most recent Global Forests Resources Assessment found.

The east African country's controller and auditor general report in 2012 said 96 percent of trees cut are illegally harvested.

The CAG report said that illegal cutting is the result of poor planning and the government's inability to manage its forestry resources. Endit