PART II SELECTED CURRENT ISSUES IN THE FOREST SECTOR 119 be paid to supporting the vast number of building(e. g. the Niger).Greater attempts small-scale producers in the region. should be made to address cumbersome International financing. The declining trend bureaucracy, inefficiency and corruption if in international financing for forestry might forest funds are to be more successful. They be reversed if donors made their must also be managed more independently from the rest of public finances. and user-friendly, and if forest agencies took .Privatization. Given the current a more proactive approach to obtaining performance of the public sector in forestry, international financing. In addition, greater it may be desirable to transfer more control coordination of international assistance to and ownership of forest resources to the the forest sector could avoid duplication and private sector, including local communities This will reduce transaction costs and Forest charges. Forest charges should increase the likelihood that private forest probably be increased in most countries, and owners will be this analysis suggests that market-based prices that the market can bear and at mechanisms rather than consultation should collecting revenue. In many countries, this be used in setting them. Any increases nay do more to achieve sustainable forest charges should be accompanied by management than current underfunded and measures to avoid such problems as inefficient public systems rrupti Efficiency of revenue collection. Countries should move towards simpler and more efficient charges, in light of experiences showing that area-based charges often First and second Conference of Ministers in Charge collect more revenue. With a large number of forests in central africa of producers, transaction costs are high and countries should consider contracting the collection of charges and fees through such As a follow-up to the 1999 Summit of Central African Heads of arrangements as cost and benefit sharing Decentralization. Exp re from various State on the Conservation and Sustainable Management of For- countries suggests that the decentralization ests and the adoption of the Yaounde Declaration, ministers re- of revenue collection and expenditure sponsible for forests met in Yaounde, Cameroon, in December functions can be effective, but that this 2000 and again in June 2002. They signed statutes establishing should be done within the framework of a the Conference of Ministers in Charge of Forests in Central Africa national fiscal policy (COMIFAC)as the body to provide guidance and make decisions Cost and benefit sharing. Local populations on forest-related initiatives in the region. The ministers also should be involved in revenue collection dopted resolutions on medium- and long-term financing, an through cost- and benefi action plan for implementing the Yaounde Declaration, a com- t-sharing arrangements, inasmuch as these increase n position to take to the World Summit on Sustainable Devel- opment, and a resolution requesting development partners to Cen h existing local help finance protected areas and promote alternative livelihood government structures may be used, it is sometimes necessary to create new for people affected by their establishment. The ministers also structures, and this can be difficult. approved the Executive Secretariat of COMIFAC and clarified Forest funds. Although forest funds have links with the Conference on Humid High Forests of Central been successful in other regions, this has not Africa The next COMIFAC meeting is scheduled for June 2004 in been the case so far in Africa, except in one Libreville, Gabon or two countries that have made considerable investment in capacity119 SECTOR FOREST THE IN ISSUES CURRENT SELECTED II PART of number vast the supporting to paid be .region the in producers scale-small trend declining The. financing International• might forestry for financing international in their made donors if reversed be transparent more assistance for applications took agencies forest if and, friendly-user and obtaining to approach proactive more a greater, addition In. financing international to assistance international of coordination and duplication avoid could sector forest the .repetition should charges Forest. charges Forest• and, countries most in increased be probably based-market that suggests analysis this should consultation than rather mechanisms in increases Any. them setting in used be by accompanied be should charges as problems such avoid to measures .corruption Countries. collection revenue of Efficiency• more and simpler towards move should experiences of light in, charges efficient often charges based-area that showing number large a With. revenue more collect and high are costs transaction, producers of the contracting consider should countries such through fees and charges of collection .sharing benefit and cost as arrangements various from Experience. Decentralization• decentralization the that suggests countries expenditure and collection revenue of this that but, effective be can functions a of framework the within done be should .policy fiscal national populations Local. sharing benefit and Cost• collection revenue in involved be should sharing-benefit and- cost through increase these as inasmuch, arrangements local existing Although. efficiency is it, used be may structures government new create to necessary sometimes .difficult be can this and, structures have funds forest Although. funds Forest• not has this, regions other in successful been one in except, Africa in far so case the been made have that countries two or capacity in investment considerable attempts Greater). Niger the. g.e (building cumbersome address to made be should if corruption and inefficiency, bureaucracy They. successful more be to are funds forest independently more managed be also must .finances public of rest the from current the Given. Privatization• ,forestry in sector public the of performance control more transfer to desirable be may it the to resources forest of ownership and .communities local including, sector private and costs transaction reduce will This forest private that likelihood the increase setting at successful more be will owners at and bear can market the that prices this, countries many In. revenue collecting forest sustainable achieve to more do may and underfunded current than management .systems public inefficient of Heads African Central of Summit 1999 the to up-follow a As December in, Cameroon, Yaoundé in met forests for sponsible￾re ministers, Declaration Yaoundé the of adoption the and ests￾For of Management Sustainable and Conservation the on State establishing statutes signed They. 2002 June in again and 2000 Africa Central in Forests of Charge in Ministers of Conference the decisions make and guidance provide to body the as) COMIFAC( also ministers The. region the in initiatives related-forest on an, financing term-long and- medium on resolutions adopted to partners development requesting resolution a and, opment￾Devel Sustainable on Summit World the to take to position mon￾com a, Declaration Yaoundé the implementing for plan action livelihoods alternative promote and areas protected finance help also ministers The. establishment their by affected people for clarified and COMIFAC of Secretariat Executive the approved Central of Forests High Humid on Conference the with links .Africa in 2004 June for scheduled is meeting COMIFAC next The .Gabon, Libreville Charge in Ministers of Conference second and First Africa Central in Forests of