5 May 2012, AlertNet news – The government of Cameroon has intensified a crackdown on illegal loggers in a measure aimed at conserving the country’s forest resources and combating the effects of climate change. Philip Ngole Ngwese, the country’s minister of forestry and wildlife, recently announced the suspension of licenses for 27 companies that had failed to comply with legislation governing activities in the forest sector.

Under the Central African Forest Commission, a trilateral agreement was established among Cameroon, Gabon and Congo to protect 14.6 million hectares (36 million acres) of forest in the region. Cameroon has also formed the Sangha Tri-National Conservation Area with Congo and the Central African Republic.

Cameroon has also signed international conventions and agreements related to the protection of forest resources. Under a Voluntary Partnership Agreement for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade signed with the European Union, Cameroon has pledged to remove illegally logged wood from its supply chain to EU countries.