Luba Balyan, ENPI/FLEG
Improving Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in the European Neighborhood Policy East Countries and Russia. The ENPI FLEG Program is a Regional Program which is implemented in response to the growing problem of illegal forest activities in the participating countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine). Illegal forest activities include illegal logging, timber theft and smuggling, trade of illegal wood, unauthorized forest conversion, unclear legislation, unclear tenure arrangements and lack of enforcement of forest regulations due to corruption.
The program aims to put improved forest governance arrangements in place through the effective implementation of the main priorities set out in the St. Petersburg Ministerial Declaration on the Europe and Northern Asia Forest Law Enforcement and Governance process. These priorities relate to a strengthening and reform of the institutions responsible for forest management, reviewing and updating the policy, legal and institutional frameworks, as well as increasing the countries’ capacities to enforce existing laws and policies.
The ENPI FLEG program supports governments, civil society, and the private sector in participating countries in the development of sound and sustainable forest management practices, including the reducing the incidence of illegal forestry activities. Participating countries include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. This program is funded by the European Union and has the three implementing partners, the World Bank, WWF (World Wide Fund For Nature) and IUCN (The International Union for the Conservation of Nature).
The program activities cover: development of national action plans, capacity building and training, awareness raising, assistance in enhancing regional and sub regional collaboration, and support for the implementation of the priority actions on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance. Alongside this, the program will carry out analytical work on illegal forest activities and government responses to such crime, as well as monitoring or related developments.
In order to get regular information about the ENPI FLEG program news and achievements, as well as general news about the forest sector in Armenia, please subscribe to the national electronic Newsletter by visiting http://www.enpi-fleg.ge/enpi_fleg_lists/am_sub.html
February 17, 2010