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4.118. During the review period, the Government took steps towards enhancing public road transport. A new transport law, Passenger Transport Law No. 19 of 2017, "set the framework for much-needed reforms with the mandatory grouping of small operators, thereby opening the door to better route coordination and service contracts with key performance indicators on quality, safety, green mobility, and service reliability". (...)

4.120. The main institutions involved in road transport are the MOT [The Ministry of Transport] and the Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC). The former is responsible for implementing policies that develop and sustain the transport sector; enhancing the role of the private sector, attracting investment, and increasing the productivity of the transport sector; and setting standards for safety, security, and environmental conservation. (...)

4.132. The Aqaba Port community consists of 12 terminals spanning 32 specialized berths. According to the authorities, it is operated by world class operators using best international technology, safety, and environmental standards. (...)

4.136. During the review period, the Aqaba Industrial Port and Aqaba Phosphate Terminal were rehabilitated and expanded through a PPP with the Jordan Industrial Ports Company. Two berths have been added to the facility to increase its annual handling capacity to 9 million tonnes and enhance operational efficiency, and environmental/safety measures. The phosphate export facility that was previously located in the northern port has been removed. Through a partnership with the Jordan Phosphate Mining Company, a new phosphate plant has been established. According to the authorities, it has state-of-the-art operational facilities ensuring the highest environmental standards. (...)

4.148. In December 2021, MOTA [The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities] launched its Jordan Tourism Strategy 2021 to 2025, with the vision "to create inclusive economic growth through authentic and sustainable tourism products [and] experiences and eliminate the impact of COVID-19". (...)

3.20. Cameroon, CAR and Chad no longer require import licences. However, for reasons of morality, health, safety, hygiene, environmental protection and cultural heritage, certain imports are subject to prior authorization by the competent authorities in all member States. Gabon, Congo and Equatorial Guinea continue to require import licences for import operations.

3.24. (...) the CEMAC countries apply the various international conventions on the protection of the environment and certain protected species, such as young bulls and heifers, ivory tusks, sea turtles, primates and species listed in Appendix 1 of CITES (Gabon). (...)

3.25. Only Cameroon and Congo have an export surtax. In Cameroon, the surtax rate is between CFAF 500 and CFAF 4,000 per m3, and applies to three varieties of timber, including ayous. In Congo, a surtax of 30% is applied to operators who export more than 15% of their production. This measure is designed to discourage the export of rough wood and encourage investment in primary and secondary wood processing.

3.26. With regard to the export of rough wood by CEMAC countries, only Gabon has adopted and strictly applied a measure banning the export of rough wood, a measure that has been in place for many years. This has had the effect of boosting the primary wood processing sector, with the installation of numerous units for producing rotary cuts of timber, mainly in the Nkok special economic zone, which have created numerous jobs and industrial added value. The CEMAC Commission has made the sustainable industrialization of the timber sector in the Congo Basin a top priority in order to effectively support its member States in their economic diversification process, and to promote their integration into the global economy, while noting a number of major paradoxes and challenges. In order to industrialize this sector while respecting ecosystems, the Commission has carried out far reaching reforms, including production related forest tax incentives, export related forest tax incentives for processed wood products, and sustainable forest management, including support measures. This meant that a regional rough wood export ban had to be introduced. To this end, the Council of Ministers of the Central African Economic Union (CAEU) adopted Decision No. 05/21/ CEMAC UEAC CM 36, which established a ban on the export of rough tropical timber from 1 January 2023. This decision was taken in order to extend Gabon's positive experience to all CEMAC countries. However, in view of the financial effects and risks within our member States, the Council, at its 38th session held on 28 October 2022 in Yaoundé, suspended the entry into force of this decision and instructed the CEMAC Commission to consult the ministers of the Regional Committee for the Industrialization of the Timber Sector (CRIB) in order to re examine the decision, and to propose an update of the road map for the implementation of the strategy for the Sustainable Industrialization of the Timber Sector in the Congo Basin. With a view to re examining this decision, the CEMAC Commission, with the support of its technical and financial partners, notably the African Development Bank (AfDB), decided it would be useful to carry out a regional study, with country by country breakdowns, to highlight the potential effects on and risks for the economies of the Congo Basin States, in particular on forest taxes and regional economic performance.

3.28. An upcoming meeting of Regional Committee for the Industrialization of the Timber Sector (CRIB) ministers is expected to adopt, among other things, the impact studies and the new decision providing for a gradual ban, in addition to validating the updated road map. A meeting of CRIB ministers is scheduled to be held in the next few day to adopt, among other things, the impact studies and the new decision providing for a gradual three year ban on the export of rough tropical timber, with export quotas of 20% in the first year, 10% in the second year and 5% in the third, from 1 January 2024, in addition to validating the updated road map for the implementation of the Strategy for the Sustainable Industrialization of the Timber Sector in the Congo Basin, all of which will then be submitted to the CAEU Council of Ministers for adoption