The Centre for the Development of Enterprise (CDE) is continuing its work in Central Africa which has the second largest forestry reserve in the world.
The triennial Wood Programme is building on many CDE initiatives already underway in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Sustainability is at the forefront of a number of projects which include training workshops on tool sharpening and wood drying.
The CDE also helps create forestry improvement plans and assists local enterprises as they move towards forestry certification.
Finding new outlets for mahogany and hevea is also in the CDE remit and meetings between industrialists from the south and the north are being organised.
Another initiative is creating partnerships between Central African enterprises and countries in Europe – with Central African countries fabricating semi-finished products to be finished or assembled elsewhere.
