Report on Illegal Logging of Teak in South Sudan and Its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

In January 2025, South Sudan’s Minister of Environment and Forestry, Josephine Napwon, issued a directive to all state authorities to cease issuing permits for logging. This measure aims to curb the illegal issuance of permits for logging teak and other endangered tree species, addressing critical environmental concerns.

Context and Background

Illegal and unsustainable logging of South Sudanese teak has escalated due to high international demand, primarily from India and, to a lesser extent, the Netherlands. Despite teak being classified as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2004 and trade restrictions under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), illegal logging persists.

Economic and Environmental Impact

1. Economic Discrepancies:
   • Teak is South Sudan’s second most valuable raw material after oil.
   • Research indicates over 100,000 tonnes of teak are exported annually, yet the country earns only about US$2 million instead of the potential US$150 million.
2. Environmental Degradation:
   • Illegal logging causes soil erosion, loss of natural resources, and deforestation in key areas such as Gulumbi, Wudabi, Panyume payams, Imatong Mountains, Dongotomea forests, Lantoto National Park, and forest reserves in Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal.

Role of Armed Groups and Corruption

• Armed groups including the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In-Opposition facilitate illegal logging and smuggling.
• Some military personnel participate in or protect illegal loggers, often linked to companies with military connections.
• Corruption among administrative and border officials in South Sudan, Uganda, and Kenya enables smuggling and falsification of certificates of origin.

Illegal Trade Routes and Market Dynamics

1. Teak is smuggled from South Sudan through Uganda into Kenya, often disguised as Ugandan products.
2. India receives approximately 73% of illegally exported South Sudanese teak, with some shipments routed to the Netherlands via India.
3. Smugglers exploit weaknesses in the European Union’s Timber Regulation by using false certificates of origin.

Challenges in Regulation and Enforcement

• Online sales of illegally sourced teak highlight regulatory gaps in South Sudan and importing countries.
• Unregistered companies operate with impunity, and loggers often work without proper authorization or legal documentation.
• Porous borders and corruption undermine enforcement efforts.

Recommendations for Sustainable Solutions Aligned with SDGs

Technological Innovations

• Develop DNA databases for high-value timber to enable traceability and identification of illegal shipments.
• Invest in portable DNA sequencing devices for customs officials at source and destination points.
• Implement electronic wood tracking systems similar to Ghana’s timber legality assurance system for real-time monitoring.

Institutional and Regional Cooperation

• Enhance collaboration with international organizations such as IUCN and World Customs Organization.
• Utilize existing platforms like AFRICA-TWIX, Central Africa Forest Observatory, and the Open Timber Portal to improve forest governance and information exchange.
• Strengthen law enforcement and customs operations along the teak trading value chain.

Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement

• Empower civil society and media to raise awareness on the environmental and social impacts of illegal teak trade.
• Pressure governments, businesses, and consumers to disrupt illegal trade networks.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 15 – Life on Land: Protecting forests and biodiversity by combating illegal logging and promoting sustainable forest management.
2. SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensuring sustainable use of natural resources and promoting traceability in timber supply chains.
3. SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Addressing corruption, strengthening law enforcement, and fostering transparent governance.
4. SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Encouraging regional and international cooperation to tackle illegal timber trade effectively.
5. SDG 13 – Climate Action: Reducing deforestation contributes to climate change mitigation efforts.

Conclusion

Illegal logging of teak in South Sudan poses significant threats to environmental sustainability, economic development, and regional security. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach involving technological innovation, institutional strengthening, and stakeholder engagement, all aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Collaborative efforts at national, regional, and international levels are essential to safeguard South Sudan’s forests and ensure sustainable development.

Report prepared by Josephine Muthama, Intern EAPSG, and Willis Okumu, Senior Researcher, ENACT Nairobi

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • Focuses on the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, forests, and biodiversity.
   • Relevant due to illegal logging, deforestation, and loss of endangered teak species in South Sudan.
2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • Addresses sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
   • Relevant because of illegal timber trade, unsustainable harvesting, and false certification practices.
3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • Focuses on reducing corruption, strengthening institutions, and promoting rule of law.
   • Relevant due to involvement of armed groups, military personnel, corruption among officials, and weak enforcement.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Emphasizes multi-stakeholder partnerships and international cooperation.
   • Relevant through calls for collaboration among international organizations, governments, and civil society to combat illegal logging.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Identified

1. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • Target 15.2: Promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and increase afforestation and reforestation globally.
   • Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect endangered species such as teak.
2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • Target 12.2: Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
   • Target 12.4: Achieve environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, including reducing illegal trade.
3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • Target 16.5: Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms.
   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships.
   • Target 17.18: Enhance capacity-building support to developing countries to increase data availability and quality.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. SDG 15 Indicators
   • 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management, including forest area as a proportion of total land area.
   • 15.5.1: Red List Index measuring the extinction risk of species such as teak.
   • Implied indicator: Rate of illegal logging incidents and forest degradation in South Sudan’s protected areas and reserves.
2. SDG 12 Indicators
   • 12.2.1: Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and domestic material consumption.
   • Implied indicator: Number of illegal timber trade cases detected and volume of illegally exported teak.
   • Implied indicator: Number of falsified certificates of origin identified.
3. SDG 16 Indicators
   • 16.5.1: Proportion of persons who had at least one contact with a public official and who paid a bribe to a public official.
   • 16.6.2: Proportion of the population satisfied with their last experience of public services.
   • Implied indicator: Number of corruption cases involving officials and military personnel in illegal logging.
   • Implied indicator: Effectiveness of law enforcement actions against illegal logging and smuggling.
4. SDG 17 Indicators
   • 17.16.1: Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks.
   • 17.18.1: Proportion of sustainable development indicators produced at the national level with full disaggregation.
   • Implied indicator: Establishment and use of DNA databases and electronic wood tracking systems for timber traceability.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: enactafrica.org