PRESENTATION ON SADC PROTOCOL ON FORESTRY

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PRESENTATION ON SADC PROTOCOL ON FORESTRY

• Presentation deals with
• Process
• Objectives
• Why Necessary for RSA
• Ratification

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Process

• Initiated by SADC FSTCU in 1998 in collaboration
  with IUCN
• Country Reports collected to develop Elements for
  the Protocol
• 1999 Draft Elements for the Protocol produced
• Consultations begin with member countries to
  determine support to the elements and the process
• Draft Protocol produced in November 2000 and
  countries are requested to consult

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Process Cont.

• November 2000 Draft presented at NFAC
• NFAC appoints a steering Committee to co-ordinate
  the consultation process
• January 2001 first meeting of the Steering
  Committee held and outlines process
• Protocol is widely circulated to stakeholders
• One on One consultation with stakeholders in
  particular the previously disadvantaged

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Process Cont.

• Steering Committee continues to meet to receive
  comments from stakeholders and synthesis them
• Steering Committee convenes a National
  Workshop-June 2001
• Steering Committee meets after Nat. W/shop to
  look at the final document and agree on the
  delegates to the SADC Regional Workshop

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Process Cont.

• SADC Regional Workshop held in Pretoria-September
  2001.
• Final draft agreed to by all countries and
  submitted to the Legal process
• May 2002 another SADC Regional workshop is held
  in Luanda and produce the final draft for
  submission to the ICM
• Submitted to the Legal advisors for recommendation

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Process Cont.

• Legal advisors recommend the signing of the
  Protocol with a proviso of reviewing Article 17
  (3) of the Protocol (which provides for Where
  any State party is asserting a right under this
  Article against any third party, other State
  parties shall support the assertion of such
  rights
• The Heads of States sign the Protocol in October
  2002 in Luanda.

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Process Cont

• DFA requests DWAF to speed up process for
  Ratification
• DWAF prepares Cabinet Memo and submit to Cabinet
  for the Parliamentary process

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Objectives

• Promote the development, conservation,
  sustainable management and utilisation of all
  types of forests and trees
• Promote trade in forest products throughout the
  Region in order alleviate poverty and generate
  economic opportunities for the peoples of the
  Region
• Achieve Effective protection of the environment,
  and safeguard the interests of both the present
  and future generations

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How do we achieve the Objectives?

• State Parties shall co-operate by
• Assisting and supporting each other to address
  issues of common concern including deforestation,
  genetic erosion, climate change, forest fires,
  pests, diseases, invasive alien species and law
  enforcement in a manner that makes the best use
  of technical, financial and other resources in
  the region
• Promoting the sustainable management of shared
  forests, taking into account other Protocols
• Building trade and investment based on the
  sustainable management and utilisation of forests
  including agreeing on common standards for SFM
  and forest products etc.

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Why Necessary for RSA

• RSA should take the lead in the co-operation on
  economic upliftment of the SADC countries
• Protocol promotes co-operation among SADC Member
  States
• As a leader in the AU and NEPAD initiatives RSA
  should always be in the forefront in ratifying
  Regional agreements

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Why Necessary for RSA Cont.

• Protocol has emphasis on poverty alleviation and
  empowerment of women which are programmes that
  RSA already has, e.g.
• Community Forestry Agreements.
• Restructuring of Cat. B plantations
• Eastern Cape Afforestation
• Deregulation of the Wattle bark industry to
  involve the PDIs in the bark economy.

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Ratification

• Article 22(1) of the Declaration Treaty and
  protocol for SADC provides for Members States
  should conclude such Protocols as may be
  necessary in each area of co-operation, which
  shall spell out the objectives and scope of, and
  institutional mechanisms for cooperation and
  integration.

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CONCLUSION

• The DWAF together with its stakeholders are very
  pleased with the involvement of all concerned in
  the development and negotiations of the Protocol
  on Forestry
• The principles contained in the Protocol are
  those of international standards and also
  enshrined in the National Forests Act, No 84 of
  1998.

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Conclusion Cont

• Based on that motivation requests the Parliament
  of the Republic of South Africa to Ratify this
  Protocol.
• Prepared by Motsamai Nkosi
• DWAF (August 2003)