A large part of the area of the Republic of the Congo is still covered with forests. The most important forest massifs are in the north of the country. They are still little exploited and keep their value. Emile Ouosso Ministerin Congo, explains how the government is coping.
Government incentives to remove constraints
Despite the various constraints presented by logging in the CongoThis represents several opportunities to be seized. Indeed, the exploitable forest area is still very vast. In addition, the main forest areas are still sparsely populated. Moreover, many resources are available and in great diversity.
According to Minister Emile Ouosso, to promote the country's economy by exploiting its natural resources, the Congo government provides incentives. They also contribute to the removal of the above constraints. This can be seen in the rehabilitation and construction of several transport infrastructures. There is also the renewal of handling equipment. To reduce taxation, the government has introduced a new forestry tax system.
What are the constraints of logging in Congo?
Even if the forest occupies a large part of the Congolese territoryThe exploitation of resources has yet to be mastered. With such an opportunity, it can represent a large part of the country's economy. "One day, it will be," says Emile Ouosso. The forestry sector accounts for less than 1 % of national GDP. Several factors explain this participation of the sector in the country's economy.
Infrastructure according to Emile Ouosso Minister
In Congo, most of the forest areas are still inaccessible, especially in the northern part of the country. Many swamps are present in the forest. Moreover, this area is still sparsely populated. This is why the infrastructures must be developed to make the export a little easier. In this case, those who want to exploit this area still have to proceed to the construction of several infrastructures such as road networks says Emile OuossoMinister of Equipment and Road Maintenance of the Congo. It is also necessary to look for electrical energy, drinking water for the workers. All this requires an investment and not the least.
The existence of illegal competition from the informal sector
The majority of the Congolese population lives from forest products. They are used for food and the treatment of certain diseases. In addition, they use wood for cooking and building their homes. The demand for these products is increasing in the domestic market. Because of this, the competition increases. Thus, the objective is that most of the sales of these products are realized in a formal way.
This competition can be seen not only on the domestic market but also on the international level. The forestry industry is developing with the existence of the export of certain citrus fruits. In view of this, the productions coming from Congo represent an interest from the economic point of view.
A fiscal and parafiscal pressure
In Congo, taxation is low. The forestry sector is subject to various necessary taxes. Minister Emile Ouosso indicates that taxation is applied to the volume of wood harvested, processed products, exported wood products, production factors, etc. In addition, the forestry industries are subject to several fiscal and administrative procedures.
