Videos on the due diligence TRACER-DR implemented on the on the SEZ-Nkok by FRMi and BRAINFOREST

The Zone Economique à Régime Privilégié ZERP of Nkok (Libreville, Gabon) was established by the Republic of gabon in 2012, it is managed in a public-private partenership between the  Republic of Gabon and Olam International Ltd. through its branch GSEZ which is the development and management body.

GSEZ-SA has chosen to observe quality and legality in the implementation and operationalisation of the SEZ. GSEZ thus implements actions that reflect its vision of controlling legality and traceability in wood supply chains of the SEZ-Nkok, knowing that the wood sector is the most important of the SEZ. The strategy has been adopted to work towards the improvement and monitoring of raw material supplies of all the economic operators in timber sector of the SEZ through a simple and effective approach.

Requested by GSEZ and supported by Nkok SEZ Administrative Authority, the due diligence system (DDS)  developed  by FRM Group in collaboration with the NGO BRAINFOREST known by the name of TRACER-DD, is applied since the end of the year 2018 to control 100% of the logs entering the SEZ (see video below). This DDS ensures a low or negligible risk of illegality in log supply of the Nkok-SEZ. It thus contributes to the development of good practices among Gabonese forest operators.

TRACER Nkok

The implementation of Due diligence process in the SEZ raises many questions from operators and observers, who legitimately want to be assured about the relevance, the reliability and worth of the process; all this in a Gabonese political context which promotes the certification of the entire timber sector. In this awareness , the partners FRM and BRAINFOREST gradually develope a series of thematic videos to inform the public on these questions and ensure of a trustful service on the ZES-Nkok.

Identified topics are :

TOPIC 1 : Why Due Diligence in the Special Economic Zone-Nkok

• What is Due Diligence ?
• What is the difference between Due Diligence and Third party certification?
• Why the choice of Due Diligence for the control of illegality in timber sector at Nkok ?

TOPIC 2 : Fundamental principles in the Due Diligence implementation

• Confidentiality
• Impartiality
• Anti-corruption

TOPIC 3 : TRACER Due Diligence and EUTR (European Union Timber Regulation) compliance

• TRACER certificate valorisation in the EUTR context
• Benefits for GABON and others wood producing countries

TOPIC 4 : TRACER Due Diligence :  what are the changes ?  what is the added value?

• What are the advantages for the Nkok SEZ ?
• What are the advantages for Gabon wood sector as a whole ?

TOPIC 5 : Concept of Due Diligence scope

• Definition
• Modification of the DD scope

TOPIC 6 : DD field mission

• Context and approach of Field assessment
• Evaluated aspects  during DD  field  missions

3 videos are available below

Agence TRACER Nkok / Thème 1 : Pourquoi la diligence raisonnée à Nkok ?

Agence TRACER Nkok /Thème 2 : Principes fondamentaux dans la mise en œuvre de la diligence raisonnée

Agence TRACER Nkok / Thème 3 : Diligence raisonnée TRACER et conformité au RBUE

Contacts :

TRACER-DR team is available for futher informations concerning the système put in place.

Nicolas BAYOL, FRMi  Study Director

Seraphin NGOUMBE, TRACER-DR Regional office technical coordinator