The Gambia has banned all timber exporting and revoked licenses in its bid to battle illegal logging and timber smuggling.
Port authorities in the country has been warned and instructed not to load any vessel as the ban is effective immediately.
Rosewood, one of the world’s remaining wildlife products is massively trafficked and it ends up mostly in China, where it’s used to make furniture, which are sent back to Africa at exorbitant prices.
The Gambia and Senegal have a rich presence of Rosewood and have been asked to suspend its trade due to its endangered stature.
The West African country is one of the largest exporters of rosewood in the world despite declaring the specie is close to extinction.
According to the BBC, The Gambia made at least $100m from Rosewood sales to China between 2017 and 2020 with 300,000 tonnes exported to China.