Mozambique: Draft Law on Forests eliminates Simple Licences

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Mozambique: Draft Law on Forests eliminates Simple Licences

2:35 CAT | 23 Mar 2022

Photo: Domingo

The preliminary draft of the Forestry Law currently being considered by national forestry operators suggests the extinction of simple licences and, in their place, the creation of Small Concessions. These will be licensed exclusively to Mozambican national citizens, in a maximum area of 20,000 hectares and with the requirement of exploitation through a Management Plan.

In the proposal made by the National Directorate of Forests, it is stated that the Small Concessions must be awarded through a public tender and it will be up to the State, through its institutions, to organise the forest inventory and strategic management plan to deliver to the winner, who will be required to develop an operational plan.

Also in the proposal of the new Forest Law are foreseen Large Concessions, to be held by national capital companies, with a minimum of 25 percent participation, to manage areas greater than 20,000 hectares and with the duty to process [the timber].

“Large Concessions must be established through a public tender held at central level, and both these and the small concessions are not authorised to export wood in logs,” the document reads.

Meanwhile, the National Directorate of Forests (DINAF) is carrying out, in the city of Chimoio, Manica province, the consultation of forestry operators on the preliminary draft of the Forest Law, which aims to adapt legislation to the current reality.

According to the Inspector General of Land and Environment, Wetela Jone, “the current law was passed in 1999 and since then a lot has changed and the law has become out of step with reality. However, the National Forestry Directorate could not propose changes to the law without hearing those who deal directly with this matter in the field”.

This consultation process has already been carried out in the provinces of Inhambane, Tete and now Manica, and in the coming weeks the provinces of Zambézia and Gaza should be covered.

Jone also explained that, before consulting forestry operators, DINAF reviewed the Forestry Policy that went on to be approved in March, 2020, and shortly thereafter the commission was created to prepare the draft law proposal that should be discussed with the greatest possible involvement of the public and private sectors, civil society organisations, educational institutions and academics. The document has already been debated by all the Executive and State Representative Councils of all provinces.

Source: Jornal Domingo