Community of Practice – AfCFTA and intra-African timber trade: a collaborative online event from June 30 to July 11, 2025

13.06.2025

ATIBT is pleased to relay the joint initiative of the African Forest Forum (AFF) and the Center for Development and Environment (CDE) at the University of Bern, which are organizing a Community of Practice (CoP) on the theme: “The AfCFTA and intra-African timber trade for inclusive green growth.”

This virtual event will take place from June 30 to July 11, 2025, via the Howspace platform, and will bring together a wide range of actors from the African forest and timber sector—public authorities, companies, researchers, NGOs, certification experts, etc.—to discuss the potential of intra-African timber trade within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

A two-part format to stimulate collective reflection

The event will take place in two parts:

Week 1 (June 30–July 4): Discussions via the Howspace platform chat. Participants will share their national experiences on the following topics: intra-African timber trade, green growth strategies, certification, SMEs, challenges in implementing the AfCFTA, etc.
Week 2 (July 7–11): a series of daily webinars led by experts, with case presentations, moderated discussions, and summary reports. The sessions will address, among other topics:
- the state of timber trade between African countries;
- national green growth strategies and their entry points for timber;
- the role of the AfCFTA and trade policies for sustainable development;
- the integration of SMEs and the role of forest certification as a lever for inclusive green growth.

Objectives of the Community of Practice

The main objective of this CoP is to develop a shared vision and a concrete roadmap to stimulate intra-African trade in sustainable, equitable timber that is consistent with the aspirations of the AfCFTA. It also aims to:

promote local approaches to green growth;
document barriers to timber trade between African countries;
explore the role of standards, including forest certification, in supporting SMEs in a formal and sustainable manner.

How to participate

The Howspace platform will be accessible from June 23, 2025, so that participants can introduce themselves, familiarize themselves with the collaborative environment, and formulate their expectations.

All live sessions will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Nairobi time) / 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (GMT).

This event is a unique opportunity to actively contribute to the structuring of regional timber trade from a sustainable and inclusive perspective. ATIBT strongly encourages its members and partners to participate!

For more information or to register, please contact the African Forest Forum at www.afforum.org.