He anticipates that the sector will be well equipped and operational, boasting well-trained personnel.

He was speaking Friday at the second formal meeting of the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) of the Liberia-EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) held at the Liberia Chamber of Commerce in Monrovia.

Karnwea vowed to generate revenue from timber and non-timber resources and ecosystem services, finished and semi-finished timber products of Liberia, according to a release from the European Union in Monrovia.

He promised to maintain 30 percent of the country´s forests under conservation status, especially in the Sapo-Tai biodiversity corridor, improve the agricultural sector in collaboration with partners to reduce its impact on forests.

“We will initiate halting the expansion of the savannah in the north of Liberia, transforming FDA into a self-sustaining institution, a catalyst of national development,” he stated.

The objective of the meeting was to jointly review the implementation of the Liberia-EU VPA Agreement, take stock of the effects of Ebola on activities and agree on the priorities for the 2015.
LINA BK/GDJ/PTK