One of the world’s largest shipping lines has announced a moratorium on the transport of any wood from The Gambia. A BBC Africa Eye investigation revealed in March that vast quantities of protected West African Rosewood was being trafficked through the country. Most of it ends up in China, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) found. Gambian authorities have previously denied any involvement in the smuggling. Rosewood is a family of tropical tree species widely used for furniture in Asia and in particular China. By value and by volume, rosewood is the most trafficked wildlife product in the world. In June, the EIA published a report saying shipping companies were transporting contraband timber from The Gambia to China. Three months previously, Africa Eye published an investigation into the million-dollar trade in trafficked rosewood. Shipping company Compagnie Maritime d’Affrètement Compagnie Générale Maritime (CMA CGM), the world’s fourth largest, said that it had done its own investigations as a result of the evidence uncovered by the BBC and EIA.
SOURCE: BBC
More Stories
Rukky Ladoja & Building a Responsible Nigerian Fashion Brand
How to Write About Africa: Collected Works’ Shows Binyavanga Wainaina’s Legacy
Amapiano to the World: The Next Cultural Shift in Mainstream Music
Feeling at Home at New York’s Contemporary African Art Fair
Mr. Eazi on African Music’s Role in Developing and Stimulating the Creative Economy
8 Lisbon Restaurants for Discovering the City’s African Diaspora
Silversea Cruises’ Extended Indian Ocean Island and Southern Africa Programme
Events Specifically Dedicated to Celebrating Black Music and Culture in Europe
Namibia Offers a Wealth of Experiences for Adventurous Travellers
Top Destinations to Visit in Africa
Establishing Manufacturing Nodes across the Continent and Leveraging on the AfCFTA
The Agritech Innovators Bringing Transformative Change to the Continent’s Green Economy