Investigators call for tougher trade rules for Central African Republic timber

A US-based investigative research group ​called for tougher international regulations ​on Central African Republic's timber ‌trade on ​Tuesday, saying it had discovered corruption and regulatory neglect in the sector. Forests cover two-thirds of ‌the land in Central African Republic and its logging concessions attributed to foreign companies have contributed to the country's export revenues.

The European Union currently considers ‌Central African Republic "low risk" under its EU Deforestation Regulation, meaning there is a ‌small chance its products are linked to deforestation. But in its report on Tuesday, The Sentry concluded that significant irregularities, including the presence of sanctioned actors in the sector, and ⁠a ​lack of transparency ⁠called for a change in the country's classification to "standard risk", indicating a moderate chance of deforestation ⁠and requiring additional due diligence.

The Sentry recommended that the EU, Britain and the ​US investigate and sanction entities associated with Russia's Wagner mercenary group, which ⁠has been active in Central African Republic since 2018. In 2024, the US Treasury Department sanctioned ⁠Bois ​Rouge, a Wagner-affiliated timber company operating in Central African Republic, saying the firm had sought monetary gain from illicit natural resource extraction.

Britain also ⁠imposed sanctions on Bois Rouge later that year. Despite the sanctions, no action has ⁠been taken ⁠to revoke concessions held by Bois Rouge, The Sentry said on Tuesday.

Central African Republic and Bois Rouge did not ‌respond ‌to requests for comment.