The Minister for Environment and Forestry Josephine Napwon has ordered all state governments to stop issuing permits for logging.
The decision follows growing concerns from both the local community and the National Government about the ongoing logging in Kajo-Keji County in Central Equatoria State.
Napwon told a press conference on Monday that her ministry was working on various steps, including developing a Forestry Bill, in order to end the illegal logging.
“It is critical that immediate and effective steps are taken to stop the rampant illegal exploitation of forest throughout South Sudan. Failure to do so is a sure desire for desert encroachment,” Napwon said.
“The ministry urges the authorities in the states to refrain from granting forest concessions or permits for companies to log in natural forests without consultation. This is not only in the case of Kajokeji, but we have witnessed this in other states as well,” she went on.
The minister said stopping illegal logging in South Sudan requires a collective responsibility from both the government and the community.
“To curb urgently the rampant illegal exploitation of forests throughout South Sudan, requires collective actions at the National and the State governments, the county, and the community levels,” she said.
“The State Government and the county authorities should exercise caution and refrain from issuing permits to foreign companies on forest resources and implement the order by the Minister of Environment and Forestry,” asserted Napwon.
This is not the first order banning illegal logging. In 2020, the Ministry of Environment issued a similar ban, which was later reiterated by the Central Equatoria State ministries of Agriculture and Local Government. However, it landed on deaf ears.
Napwon confessed that some government and military personnel were involved in the business.
Reacting to the decision, Ter Manyang, Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), has stated that reinforcing the ban on illegal logging will not be effective unless a robust legal framework is implemented to impose penalties on those involved in the practice.
“The Ministry of Environment’s efforts to close down illegal logging businesses in the country will not be successful unless there is a proper law in place that can enforce restrictions,” Manyang remarked.
He urged the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to conduct thorough feasibility studies before implementing any decisions related to illegal logging.
“I call on the honorable minister to consider conducting feasibility studies, as there are various layers to this issue,” Manyang emphasized. “This includes both South Sudanese nationals and foreigners, with local citizens often collaborating with foreign actors to facilitate the illegal logging trade.”