CDC - Forestry and Fisheries Statement

Forestry and Fisheries Statement
20 June 2002
M. Chairman; Excellencies; Ladies and Gentlemen, I am particularly pleased, speaking as Co-Chair of the Working Group on Natural Resources Management to present on the behalf of his members our main findings on the implementation of the reforms of Forestry and Fisheries Sectors. As I must be brief, on the progress recorded since the last CG Meeting held in Tokyo last year, I will invite you to look for details at the “Key Reform Issues in Forestry and Fisheries Sectors” paper which has been distributed. As it is often the case we can see negative and positive things: Let’s mention the positive results: For which Donors wish to congratulate the Government. • Suspension of logging as of the first of January • Suspension of transport of logs 23 May • Cancellation of two inactive concessions and one concession found guilty of violation of law. This decision announced this morning by H.E. the Prime Minister was waited for a while, and is much appreciated. If I refer to the applauds we hear this morning, we must consider this decision as a strong encouragement to continue in this way. However, members of the WGNRM are still thinking that progress is too slow, and still hampered by many obstacles: For forestry, we must note: 1. in general a lack of transparency of the processes and absence of meaningful public consultations 2. status of royalties payment should be made public 3. too limited enforcement action following violations of laws by concessionaires 4. a lack of transparency on the ESIA and SFMP’s preparation and approval process. No public discosure of these documents.. etc. 5. Allocation of land concession in contravention with the newly adopted land law and sub-decree on ESIA 6. insufficient respect of suspension of logging and moratorium on resin trees For Fisheries, we notice: 1. inadequate support provided to local communities to implement a good management of fishing resources 2. inadequate training and preparation of the staff of Department of Fisheries 3. insufficient consideration of the marine resources for which we need suitable management plans of the various marine/coastal resources Consequently of these weaknesses the Donors Working Group would like to recommend: One: About suspension of logging: Concessionaires found in violation with the law by the FCMU should have their concession contract terminated immediately and be banned from any future involvement in the forestry sector. Two: About resumption of exploitation: Working Group recommends the resumption of forest exploitation should only be allowed once concessionaire presented and adequate ESIA and SFMP and these have been evaluated and approved. To ensure transparency and quality of the process these documents should be reviewed by an independent panel including one observer of our Working Group. Three: About deforestation for establishin2 other activities: Working Group urges the Government to conduct ESIA to international standards and make the results public, before approving concessions that have a serious impact on the environment because erosion and depletion of livelihoods of local populations. Moreover, the working group recommends that Government temporally suspends the current deforestation undertaken at a very large scale for rubber plantation in the area of Kompong Cham and then, that the clearing should be undertaken at the same rate that the planting and following a publicly land use plan. Four About inspection and verification and about the F.C.M.U. In order to improve inspection and verification the working group recommends that the institutional framework be re-evaluated, and working group requests the two ministries of MAFF and Environment to commission and independent national entity to carry out inspection and verification functions on their behalf. Therefore, the working group strongly recommends the appointment of a national director for the FCMP not directly involved in the forest sector. The working group recommends that the findings and report of the FCMU represent the official position of the government. Five: About legislation: Waiting the forest law presently under discussion at the National Assembly. The working group urges the approval of the community forestry sub-decree as submitted to the Department of Forestry in February 2002 by the Council of Ministers. If any changes are made in the sub-decree, they should be made transparent and adequate time should be provided for concerned stakeholders’ response. Fisheries One: About legislation. working group urges the government to accelerate the finalization of the law and the master plan presently under preparation. Working Group recommends that the sub-decree for community fisheries be recalled and subjected to additional stakeholder consultation before submission for approval. Two: About protection and conservation: Working Group recommends that Government establish and manage a fish sanctuary network to conserve brood stock in strategic locations. Three: About national capacities: Appropriate staff should be trained to undertake that new task of community fisheries development. Four: About marine resources: Working Group recommends to place a greater emphasis on marine resources management, eliminate destructive fishing practices, and formulate a development plan involving coastal communities. In summary, I would like to insist on the be half of the working group on the urgency to have - a legal framework for both fish/forest communities - a good coherence between forests, fisheries, land law an other regulations in order to provide the necessary protection for poor communities and to prevent abuses. Finally, we are pleased to see that the government have now, more resources to implement properly these two reforms, and donors consider that there are no more excuse to delay the implementation of a better management of natural resources in order to ensure there sustainability and a better contribution of forestry and fisheries to the national economy and poverty reduction.