Guyana

Guyana has seen deforestation rates soar over the last year, despite the signing of an agreement with the Norwegian government aimed precisely at supporting a reduction in deforestation rates, said Global Witness today.   

Almost nine per cent of the government’s planned expenditure in the 2011 national budget depends upon receipt of US$70M from Norway, under the MoU signed on November 9, 2009.  That is surely a risky strategy because there appears to be no fall-back position if the Norwegian money does not come, or not in that quantity.  So achievement of the progress indicators (‘enablers’ in Norwegian terms) is a major test.

Europe has passed new legislation to counter the flow of illegal timber into its markets. With Guyana last year exporting timber to the tune of US$5M ($1B) to the European Union, the market is one that the country could ill-afford to lose.
Next Wednesday, the Forest Products Association of Guyana (FPA) will be holding a workshop with the assistance from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, to increase awareness of the EU’s Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) new measures which have implications for exporting countries.

THE Agriculture Ministry, in a release, has stated that the World Bank has approved Guyana's request for the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) to perform the services as delivery partner for its participation in th