ICYMI

Kenya's President Ruto lifts six-year logging ban despite environmental concerns


NEWS WIRES
Sun, 2 July 2023 

© Simon Maina, AFP

Kenyan President William Ruto announced Sunday the lifting of a near six-year ban on logging, despite the concerns of environmental campaigners.

Ruto said the move was "long overdue" and was aimed at creating jobs and opening up sectors of the economy that rely on forest products.

"We can't have mature trees rotting in forests while locals suffer due to lack of timber. That's foolishness," he said at a church service in Molo, a town about 200 kilometres (120 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi.

"This is why we have decided to open up the forest and harvest timber so that we can create jobs for our youth and open up business."

Ruto, who has positioned himself at the forefront of African efforts to combat climate change, said the government would push ahead with plans to plant 15 billion trees over 10 years.

The end of the ban is likely to delight saw millers and timber merchants who protested that it had caused major job losses.

(AFP)