Malaysian logging in African forests

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In WRM Bulletin nr. 3 (8/8/97) we informed about a megaproject of industrial tree plantations in Eastern Cape province of South Africa by Malaysian forestry companies. The activities of the Malaysian in Africa continues, also in the logging sector. In September 1997 Innovest Bhd began logging in a 3,360 km2 concession in the southwest of Congo-Brazzaville. The company, that holds 92% of the shares of the Congolese subsidiary Innovest Congo SA, is planning to cut 100,000 m3 of timber each year. Menawhile another Malaysian company -Timber Industries Bhd- has purchased a timber concession of 10,000 km2 in a primary forest of the Okano River basin in Gabon. 300,000 m3 of timber, especially okoumé and ozigo, will be cut annually. Malaysian timber companies have been repeatedly criticized because of their destructive activities worldwide.

Source: Bruno Manser Fonds Newsletter, January 1998.