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UN Adopts Proposal To Fight Illicit Timber Trade

A vessel carrying illegal timber from Indonesia heads for Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo by Agus Andrianto

Indonesia plays key role

International cooperation in combating the illegal timber trade has received a significant boost following the adoption of an anti-timber trafficking resolution at the meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESC) in Vienna, April 23-27, 2007.

Put forward by the UNESC subsidiary body, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), the resolution is entitled ‘International cooperation in preventing and combating illicit international trafficking in forest products, including timber, wildlife and other forest biological resources’.

The resolution was developed by Indonesia in partnership with fellow members of the CCPCJ, Australia, the USA, Thailand and the Philippines. It was first presented for adoption in 2006, but failed to win the support of the Government of Brazil. However, following 12 months of liaison between Indonesia and Brazil on the issue, the resolution was adopted on April 25, 2007 at the meeting in Vienna.

Indonesia has been a strong proponent of greater international efforts to tackle illegal logging for several years. It was the first country in the world to amend its anti-money laundering laws to include crimes against the environment, including illegal logging. The changes in recent years in Indonesia’s anti-money laundering legislation involved considerable research input and advice from CIFOR’s monetary and financial policy expert, Bambang Setiono.

The past few years have also seen Australia become more engaged with the issue of fighting illegal timber trafficking. Senior trade officials from the Australian Embassy visited CIFOR in 2006 to discuss the question of illegal timber exports with CIFOR’s Director of Forests and Governance, Doris Capistrano.

Also, the Australian Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, visited CIFOR in April 2007 as part of the launch of the ‘Global Initiative on Forests and Climate’. This is a new international endeavor to combat deforestation and its impact on climate. Launched by Australia with a contribution of $200 million (US$167 million), the initiative aims to reduce deforestation by addressing a range of issues, including illegal logging.

Indonesia’s efforts to combat illegal logging through bilateral agreements, and its targeting of the business side of illicit trafficking, are reflected in the resolution’s call for members to share information and experience in handling forest-related corruption and trans-national crime. This would be part of an expert working group that would look at other issues as well, such as identifying ways to improve national capabilities in dealing with trafficking

Indonesia, with its unique and successful experience in these areas, is in an excellent position to play a lead role in the expert group and may well be encouraged to do so by the UN Member States.