Ghana has been selected as the featured country at the International Timber Forum in Nantes, France, as the country cements its reputation for legal and sustainable tropical timber management in European markets.
The International Tropical Timber Technical Association (ATIBT) announced Tuesday a major programme dedicated to Ghana at the forum, running June 2 to 4 at the Nantes Exhibition Park. The initiative is backed by the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement Programme (FLEGT VPA Programme), funded by the European Commission.
Ghana’s selection reflects a significant milestone in its forestry governance journey. On October 8, 2025, Ghana issued its first FLEGT licenses, becoming one of the few African nations to formally verify the legality of timber exports to the European Union. The development positions Ghana as a model for responsible forest governance at a moment when the sector is adapting to new requirements under the European Union Regulation on Deforestation and Forest Degradation (EUFRD).
Throughout the forum, the ATIBT booth in Hall XXL will host a dedicated Ghana Corner serving as a meeting point for industry stakeholders and buyers to engage with Ghanaian forestry expertise.
A strategic half-day forum on Tuesday, June 2, will bring together the Ghana Forestry Commission (GFC), European timber importers, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the European Investment Bank, and smart forestry consultancy AFRY to discuss EU-Ghana collaboration in forest industries. The programme will include lessons drawn from FLEGT license implementation, an overview of lesser-known forest species, European market trends, and CITES requirements. Seven Ghanaian timber suppliers and the Ghana Timber Millers Organization (GTMO) will make presentations, followed by facilitated business-to-business (B2B) matching between Ghanaian suppliers and European importers.
Françoise Van de Ven, President of ATIBT, said: “Ghana is a model of mobilization for the sector.”
The forum also offers a platform to advance Ghana’s Forest Plantations Strategy covering 2016 to 2040, and to explore bioeconomy and green finance opportunities that can support the sector’s long-term development.
