To combat illegal logging, Gambia has banned timber exports and revoked all export licenses.

The port authorities have been instructed to refuse to load timber logs onto any vessel, as the ban took effect immediately.

In 2020, Senegal was the transit point for vast quantities of protected West African Rosewood.

Much of it is exported to China, where it is used to manufacture furniture.

Since 2017 it has been classified as an endangered species, and last month Cites, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, urged seven nations, including The Gambia, to halt its trade.

The Gambia consistently ranks among the world’s top five exporters of West African Rosewood (Pterocarpus Erinaceus), despite having declared its stocks nearly extinct nearly a decade ago.

Rosewood is one of the most heavily trafficked wildlife products in the world, both in terms of value and quantity.

Also referred to as “redwood” or “Hongmu,” it is highly valued for its color and durability and is primarily used for antique-style furniture.

Between 2017 and 2020, China imported more than 300,000 tonnes from The Gambia.

This is the equivalent of approximately 500,000 trees and is worth more than $100 million (£80 million).

Senegal and The Gambia that the rosewood being exported from The Gambia to China originated in the Casamance region of southern Senegal.