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Contributions from
the Column
Monitor
USA undermining generic pharma production
Germa-Russian President’s Programme extended
KfW Bank Group promotes good governance
Oil: World Bank and Chad reach agreement
Dispute over World Bank malaria programme
United Nations: Stalled reforms
International peacebuilding efforts inadequate
Liberia: UN negotiates timber embargo
Aid for more trade
06/2006
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Liberia: UN negotiates timber embargo
The new Liberian government hopes that the UN Security Council will lift the embargo on tropical timber from the West African country this month. According
to news agency AFP, Ellen Loj, chairwoman of the UN Sanctions Committee, said after visiting Liberia at the end of April that
the government is striving to meet the conditions to achieve this. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the new Liberian President, cancelled all existing logging licences back in February and issued new ones with modified conditions. In future, timber companies must disclose all financial transactions that involve business dealings in Liberia, meet strict environmental conditions and invest in development projects.
The UN Security Council imposed the trade embargo on tropical timber from Liberia during the civil war in 2003; the former government under President Charles Taylor used timber exports as an important source to buy arms. The new government also needs the revenue to help the country back on its feet again (see D+C/E+Z 5/2006, p. 206). (ell)
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